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Rajkumar Hirani Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 6, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth20 November 1962

Age62 Years (as of 2024)

BirthplaceNagpur, Maharashtra, India

ProfessionFilm Director

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseManjeet Hirani

FamilyFather - Suresh Hirani; Mother - Sheela Hirani; Brother - Sanjeev Hirani; Sister - Anju Kishanchandani

Rajkumar Hirani Biography

Rajkumar "Raju" Hirani is an Indian film director known for a series of commercially successful and critically acclaimed Hindi films. Born in Nagpur in 196

Early life and background

Rajkumar Hirani was born on 20 November 1962 in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Often called Raju, he grew up in a family that ran a small typing institute. His father, Suresh Hirani, had migrated from Sindh during the partition and later established the institute in Nagpur. Hirani attended St. Francis De'Sales High School in Nagpur and went on to study at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, where he completed a course in editing.

Although his parents originally wanted him to pursue accountancy, Hirani was drawn to theatre and acting from a young age. He took part in Hindi theatre during college and briefly attended an acting school in Mumbai before returning home. At FTII he enrolled in an editing program and earned a scholarship that helped ease his familys financial burden.

Career

After graduating, Hirani spent years trying to establish himself as a film editor in Mumbai. When editing work proved slow to come by, he moved into advertising and built a reputation as a director of television commercials, even appearing in some ads himself. His break into the film industry came when director Vidhu Vinod Chopra invited him to work on promos and trailers for the film 1942: A Love Story. Hiranis first significant editing assignment on a major film was Mission Kashmir (2000).

Hirani made his directorial debut with Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003). The film, made on a modest budget, became a major success and established him as a mainstream filmmaker. He continued his directorial run with Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), 3 Idiots (2009) and PK (2014). Each film further raised his profile: 3 Idiots set new box-office records at the time of its release, and PK became one of the highest-grossing Indian films, earning around 500 crore at the box office.

Across his career, Hirani has won multiple major awards, including several National Film Awards and a number of Filmfare Awards, reflecting both commercial success and industry recognition.

Public profile

Hirani is known for combining entertainment with social themes in his films. He lists reading among his hobbies and has named authors and works he admires. His favourite actors include Dilip Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Aamir Khan and Boman Irani, and he has cited Anand (1971) as a favourite film.

His family life is part of his public profile. He married Manjeet Hirani, a pilot with Air India, in 1994. The couple have a son, Vir Hirani, who is pursuing film direction. Hirani has a younger brother, Sanjeev, who works as a computer consultant in the United States, and a sister, Anju Kishanchandani, who has worked in journalism. His mother is Sheela Hirani.

Controversies

Several of Hiranis films attracted controversy at different times. After the release of 3 Idiots, author Chetan Bhagat alleged that the film drew on his novel Five Point Someone; Hirani maintained that contractual payments had been made. When PK released in 2014 it faced criticism from some quarters for its depiction of religion and spiritual leaders, though the film was a major box-office success. During the MeToo movement in 2019, an anonymous allegation was made by a former assistant related to the production of Sanju (2018).

Other interests and activities

Hirani remains connected to theatre; he produced a theatrical show by his sister that dealt with themes of adolescence. He also began his professional life in advertising and continues to be associated with storytelling that blends humour and social commentary.

Latest updates

As of 2024, Rajkumar Hirani is 62 years old and continues to be regarded as one of Indian cinemas most successful contemporary directors. His films have won multiple national and industry awards and performed strongly at the box office, cementing his position in mainstream Hindi filmmaking.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Rajkumar Hirani, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Sanju

2018 film connected to a MeToo-era allegation from an anonymous former assistant

2018
PK

2014 directorial release that became one of Indian cinema's biggest grossers

2014
3 Idiots

2009 film that set new box-office records at the time

2009
Lage Raho Munna Bhai

2006 directorial release following his debut

2006
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Career Highlights

  1. Directorial debut with Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003)
  2. Directed Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), 3 Idiots (2009) and PK (2014)
  3. 3 Idiots broke domestic and overseas collection records at the time
  4. PK earned around 500 crore at the box office
  5. Recipient of multiple National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Rajkumar Hirani born?

Rajkumar Hirani was born on 20 November 1962.

What is Rajkumar Hirani known for?

Rajkumar Hirani is known for film Director.

What is Rajkumar Hirani’s marital status?

Rajkumar Hirani's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Rajkumar Hirani married to?

Rajkumar Hirani is publicly listed as married to Manjeet Hirani.