Madhur Bhandarkar made his Bollywood debut as a director with 1999 release Trishakti. He has been in the industry for the past two decades and has made some really good films. In 2016, he was honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour, by the Government of India.
Well, his past few releases might have failed to strike a chord with the audiences, but we cannot ignore that he is one of the few filmmakers in the Hindi film industry who tries to showcase the reality of the society on the big screen.
Today, as Madhur Bhandarkar celebrates his 52nd birthday, let’s look at the list of top five films directed by him.
Chandni Bar
In 2001, Madhur Bhandarkar directed a film titled Chandni Bar starring Tabu in the lead role. The film showcased the journey of a girl from a village who comes to Mumbai and becomes a bar dancer. The film was appreciated by critics and won National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues.
Satta
After Chandni Bar, Madhur Bhandarkar made one more woman-centric film titled Satta. The movie showcased the reality of politics and how things change when a woman decides to take the charge. Raveena Tandon’s performance was the highlight of the movie and it is still considered to be one of the best performances of the actress.
Page 3
While in early 2000, not many filmmakers were keen on making women-centric films, Madhur Bhandarkar was surely the director who was giving Bollywood some strong female characters. His movie Page 3 showcased the life of a Page 3 journalist. It went on to win National Film Award for Best Feature Film.
Traffic Signal
Well, we never expected that a filmmaker would make a movie revolving around the people who work and beg at traffic signals in Mumbai. But, in 2007, Madhur Bhandarkar directed a film titled Traffic Signal that showcased us the reality of that side of the society as well.
Fashion
After showcasing us the life of a bar girl, a female politician, and a page 3 journalist, Madhur Bhandarkar decided to take us in the world of glamour with his film Fashion. The movie was about a girl’s journey as a model and how the fashion industry works. Priyanka Chopra and Kangana Ranaut, both the actresses won a National Award for their performance in the movie.
Siddharth and Freida Pinto team up for Netflix’s Unaccustomed Earth adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri’s short stories Getty Images 
Johnwellsproductions Instagram PostInstagram/
Actor Siddharth's Instagram postInstagram Screengrab/
Jhumpa Lahiri’s award-winning Unaccustomed Earth comes to Netflix with a global ensemble castGetty Images 
Taylor Swift's lawyer denies deposition agreement in Tustin Baldoni- Blake Lively lawsuit Getty Images 
Taylor Swift has "no material role" in legal case, says lawyerGetty Images
Bryan Freedman, speaks to the press at US District Court after a pre-trial hearing in New York on February 3, 2025Getty Images
Taylor Swift and Blake Lively prior to Super Bowl LVIII between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City ChiefsGetty Images
U.S. judge rules Blake Lively\u2019s harassment claims were legally protected speech Getty Images 
Coolie hits £47m worldwide as fake ‘big mistake’ quote on Aamir Khan cameo goes viral Instagram/sunpictures 
Coldplay light up Wembley with a record 10-night run Instagram/coldplay 
Coldplay's Instagram storyInstagram Screengrab/coldplay
Chris Martin performs on a stop of the band's Music of the Spheres world tour at Allegiant StadiumGetty Images 
Chris Martin of Coldplay performs on a stop of the band's Music of the Spheres world tourGetty Images