Vicky Kaushal's Directorial Collaborations

What makes Vicky Kaushal stand apart from his peers is the ease with which he is able to break away from the hyper-masculine hero trope that has dominated Bollywood for generations. Vicky Kaushal's artistry has brought with it a new wave of cinema in India. A method actor, Kaushal has undergone physical transformations for many of his roles. His success in the Hindi film industry is a testament to his acting prowess and ability to connect with audiences across the country. He is relatable and endearing; you want to root for him because you believe in his characters. Whether he’s jumping across roofs in Manmarziyaan, or leading troops in Uri - he’s your guy.

Vicky Kaushal and Anurag Kashyap

Vicky Kaushal's collaborations with Anurag Kashyap have produced some of the best Hindi movies in the recent past.

1. Raman Raghav 2.0:

Directed by Anurag Kashyap, this neo-noir psychological thriller film stars Vicky Kaushal and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in lead roles. Vicky Kaushal received critical acclaim for his outstanding performance as ACP Raghavan Singh Naidu, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui was also hailed by the critics for his portrayal of the antagonist. Kaushal packs each look with palpable angst and disgust. The film has an IMDB rating of 7.4 and is one of the highest-rated movies of the actor’s career.

You can watch it on Zee5

2. Manmarziyaan:

Vicky Kaushal also starred in Anurag Kashyap's Manmarziyaan, alongside Taapsee Pannu and Abhishek Bachchan. The film is a romantic drama that revolves around a feisty girl trapped in a complex love triangle amid social and family pressures. Written by Kanika Dhillon, the film showcases another side to Kaushal's acting skills. His silences speak volumes for his caliber as an actor. A performance that could easily be overly indulgent remains subtle and nuanced.

It is streaming on Zee5 and JioCinema

Since the beginning of his career, Vicky Kaushal has been among Anurag Kashyap’s favorites. He made small appearances in Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat and Bombay Velvet solidifying their relationship as co-collaborators and creative partners. We hope to see more of this dynamic duo.

Vicky Kaushal and Meghna Gulzar

Collaborating with Meghna Gulzar on a historical thriller film is perhaps on every actor’s wish-list. Raazi, therefore, was undoubtedly a significant milestone in Vicky Kaushal’s acting career.

3. Raazi:

Inspired by Harinder Sikka's novel, Calling Sehmat, it tells the story of an Indian Kashmiri woman (Alia Bhatt) who marries a Pakistani Army officer (Vicky Kaushal) during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The film highlights various political conflicts and emotional turmoils that revolve around her character, who serves as a spy for Indian intelligence agencies. Vicky Kaushal's portrayal of Iqbal Syed was praised by both critics and audiences, especially for his convincing portrayal of a loving and caring husband to Sehmat, despite their crossed national interests. The actor credited Meghna Gulzar's work and the film's script for the success of Raazi.

You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video

4. Sam Bahadur:

Slated for release on 1st December, 2023 Vicky Kaushal’s second collaboration with Meghna Gulzar is one we’re all patiently waiting for. Starring Sanya Malhotra and Fatima Sana Sheikh (who are reuniting after Dangal), Sam Bahadur is the biopic of Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw. Vicky revealed that he had expressed his wish to play the character back when he had learned about the project from Meghna Gulzar while they were filming Raazi together six years ago. The project just wrapped shooting, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for another memorable performance.

Vicky Kaushal and Rajkumar Hirani

Vicky’s collaboration with Rajkumar Hirani in the blockbuster hit Sanju, based on the life of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, was a breakthrough moment for the actor.

5. Sanju:

In Sanju, Vicky Kaushal played the role of Kamlesh Kanhaiyalal Kapasi, known as Kamli, a close friend of Sanjay Dutt. His role gave him ample room to showcase his acting talent. Rajkumar Hirani is known for showcasing complex human emotions. He brings out the best in actors by giving them time to understand the characters they are portraying. In Sanju too, Hirani worked closely with Vicky Kaushal to develop his character. Hirani’s direction helped Vicky bring out the nuances of Kamli's character perfectly. Vicky's portrayal of Kamli was subtle yet impactful. His portrayal of the character was so real that he became an instant hit with the masses.

Sanju is streaming on Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar

Vicky Kaushal will also be seen in Rajkumar Hirani’s much awaited film with Shah Rukh Khan, Dunki. We’re excited to see what they bring us next!

Vicky Kaushal and Shoojit Sircar

6. Sardar Udham:

In 2021, Kaushal played the lead role in Shoojit Sircar's biopic Sardar Udham, a film about the freedom fighter who assassinated British officer Michael O'Dwyer in 1940 to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919. The film received positive reviews and was considered Kaushal's best performance to date. He also won numerous awards. Vicky garnered a lot of praise for undergoing an extreme transformation for Sardar Udham - Soojit Sircar, who is known to bring out raw performances from his actors, really tapped into Vicky’s strengths to bring out a mature and understated performance.

Sardar Udham is streaming on Amazon Prime Video

Vicky Kaushal and Karan Johar

Karan Johar’s film for the anthology Lust Stories, brought Vicky Kaushal another wave of recognition, and a new nickname: Quickie Kaushal.

7. Lust Stories:

Lust Stories is an anthology film comprising four short films, each of which explores the theme of love and lust. The film revolves around a young girl named Megha, who is unsatisfied by her husband Paras. Vicky Kaushal portraying Paras presents a conflicted character who is torn between his love for Megha and his duties towards his family. Kaushal's nuanced portrayal of Paras was highly appreciated. His ability to convey a range of emotions and depict complex characters had already been established in his previous films, but Lust Stories provided an opportunity for him to showcase his talent to a wider audience. His performance was particularly impressive in the scenes in which Paras is trying to balance his love for Megha with the challenges posed by his family. The story centers around Megha, but Vicky’s wholesome performance prevents Paras from being a forgettable supporting character.

You can watch it on Netflix

We want to see more collaborations in the future - manifesting Vicky Kaushal in a true blue Karan Johar film!

Vicky Kaushal and Aditya Dhar

One of Vicky Kaushal’s most iconic roles was a result of his collaboration with director Aditya Dhar.

8. Uri: The Surgical Strike:

The film marked Aditya Dhar's debut as a director in Bollywood. He was initially supposed to work on a different project with Vicky Kaushal, but after the Uri attacks in 2016, Dhar decided to take on a project that was more meaningful to him. He started working on the script and decided that Vicky Kaushal was the perfect fit for the role of Major Vihaan Shergill. Kaushal bulked up and made his character so formidable that it managed to keep the josh high for audiences across the board.

Uri: The Surgical Strike is streaming on Zee5

Vicky Kaushal and Neeraj Ghaywan

Any list on Vicky Kaushal would be incomplete without the mention of his debut collaboration with director Neeraj Ghaywan.

9. Masaan

In Masaan, Vicky Kaushal played the role of Deepak Chaudhary, a young man from a low-caste family who falls in love with an upper-caste girl, Devi played by Richa Chadda. The movie portrays the struggles of Deepak and Devi, who are trying to find their place in a society that is governed by the caste system. Vicky's performance as Deepak was remarkable, and he won several awards for his role. He brought nuance into his portrayal of Deepak's pain and suffering. Vicky Kaushal's role in Masaan showcased his potential as an actor, and it was also Neeraj Ghaywan's debut showcase as a director. Their collaboration proved to be fruitful and has given us one of the memorable performances in Indian cinema.

Vicky Kaushal has come a long way since his debut, and his work in Masaan has remained a highlight of his journey in the industry. We can't wait to see more of their collaborations and what they have to offer in the future.

You can watch Masaan on Disney+Hotstar