(This article is authored by Alar)

Shankar Shanmugam, the master of grandeur, the king of spectacle, the pioneer of social dramas. He is one of the most celebrated and influential directors in Indian cinema who has completed 30 glorious years in the film industry, and his journey has been nothing short of remarkable.

From his debut film Gentleman in 1993 to his upcoming projects Indian 2 and Game Changer, Shankar has always pushed the boundaries of filmmaking with his innovative storytelling, technical excellence and social relevance. Here’s a look at how Shankar sculpted his name among the leading Indian directors.

Shankar started his career as an assistant director to SA Chandrasekhar, and made his directorial debut with Gentleman, a film that exposed the corruption in the education system. The film was a huge success, both critically and commercially, and won several awards, including two National Film Awards. Shankar followed it up with Kadhalan, a romantic thriller that showcased his flair for music and dance. The film’s soundtrack, composed by AR Rahman, became a sensation across India, and the song “Mukkabla” became a cult classic.

Shankar then ventured into sci-fi genre with Indian, a film that featured Kamal Haasan in dual roles as a freedom fighter and his son. The film dealt with the issue of corruption and vigilante justice, and was praised for its technical aspects, especially the makeup by Michael Westmore. The film won three National Film Awards, including Best Actor for Kamal Haasan.

Shankar continued to deliver blockbuster films with social messages, such as Jeans, Mudhalvan, Nayak, Boys, Anniyan and Sivaji. He also collaborated with some of the biggest stars in Indian cinema, such as Rajinikanth, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Vikram, Prashanth and Sushmita Sen. He also introduced new talents like Siddharth, Genelia D’Souza to the industry.

Shankar’s films also became known for their lavish production values and visual effects. He set new benchmarks for Indian cinema with films like Enthiran, I and 2.O, which were made on massive budgets and featured stunning CGI and action sequences. Enthiran and 2.O starred Rajinikanth in dual roles as a scientist and a robot, while I starred Vikram in multiple roles as a bodybuilder, a model and a hunchback. Shankar’s films also broke several box office records and became the highest-grossing Tamil films of all time.

Shankar is currently working on two projects: Indian 2, which is a sequel to his 1996 film Indian, starring Kamal Haasan, Kajal Aggarwal and Rakul Preet Singh; and Game Changer, which is an action thriller starring Ram Charan. Both the films are expected to release in 2024. Shankar recently celebrated his 30 years in cinema with a cake-cutting ceremony with his assistants from both the films.