Rohit Shetty (born 14 March 1974) is an Indian film director, producer and television host. He is the most commercially consistent maker of action and comedy films in Hindi cinema, known for the Golmaal series, Chennai Express and the police films beginning with Singham that he has linked into a shared “Cop Universe”. His films are recognised by their large-scale stunts, flying cars and broad humour.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Rohit Shetty |
| Born | 14 March 1974, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Age | 52 |
| Occupation | Film director, producer, television host |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Known for | Golmaal series, Singham, Chennai Express, Simmba, Sooryavanshi |
| Education | St. Mary’s School, Mumbai |
| Spouse | Maya Shetty (m. 2005) |
| Children | 1 son (Ishaan) |
Early Life
Shetty was born in Mumbai into the film industry’s working ranks. His father, M. B. Shetty, was a stunt coordinator and a familiar bald-headed villain of 1970s Hindi films, and his mother, Ratna, worked as a junior artist. His father died when Rohit was a child, and the family went through hard times; he has said that they moved to a smaller home and that he gave up studies early to earn a living.
Career
He started work at seventeen as an assistant to the director Kuku Kohli on Phool Aur Kaante (1991), the first film of Ajay Devgn, and the two became close friends. He assisted on several of Devgn’s films through the 1990s, including Suhaag, Haqeeqat and Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, and also worked on stunts.
His first film as director, the action thriller Zameen (2003), did average business. He changed course with Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), a comedy about four small-time crooks, which became a surprise hit and grew into a series with Golmaal Returns, Golmaal 3 and Golmaal Again. All the Best and Bol Bachchan were in the same vein.
Singham (2011), a remake of a Tamil film with Devgn as an upright small-town police officer, set the pattern for his action films. Chennai Express (2013), with Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, was at the time the highest-grossing Hindi film in India. After Singham Returns and Dilwale, he brought his police heroes together: Ranveer Singh in Simmba (2018), Akshay Kumar in Sooryavanshi (2021), which helped reopen cinemas after the pandemic, and a large ensemble in Singham Again (2024). The period comedy Cirkus (2022) was a rare failure.
Since 2014 he has hosted most seasons of the stunt reality show Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi, which made him a familiar face on television. He created the web series Indian Police Force (2024) for Amazon Prime Video and produces films through Rohit Shetty Picturez.
Personal Life
He married Maya, a banker, in 2005, and they have a son, Ishaan. He is known for designing and supervising his own action sequences and for his loyalty to a regular crew of technicians and stunt performers, many of whom knew his father.
Selected Filmography
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Rohit Shetty born?
Rohit Shetty was born on 14 March 1974 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India and is 52 years old.
What is Rohit Shetty known for?
Known for: Golmaal series, Singham, Chennai Express, Simmba, Sooryavanshi.
Featured image: Rohit Shetty speaks at the closing ceremony of the 44th International Film Festival of India, Panaji, Goa, 30 November 2013. Photo by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
