# Gauri Shinde

Gauri Shinde (born 6 July 1974) is an Indian film director and screenwriter. Shinde made her directorial debut with the highly acclaimed English Vinglish (2012), which marked the comeback of actress Sridevi. Shinde featured in the Financial Times 2012 list of '25 Indians To Watch'. She also featured on Rediff's list of 'Bollywood's 5 Best Directors of 2012'.

## Early life and education

Gauri Shinde was born and brought up in Pune, where she studied at St Joseph's High School and later graduated from Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication in Pune. Her aspiration towards film-making started right from the days at the end of her college life.

## Career

She moved to Mumbai for her internship with documentary director Siddharth Kak and later started working with advertising agencies like IBW, Bates Clarion and Lowe Lintas, where R. Balki was the creative director. In following years she made over 100 advertising films and short films; her short film Oh Man! (2001) was selected for the Berlin Film Festival.
She made her feature film debut as a director with English Vinglish (2012), a film inspired by Shinde's own relationship with her mother, who ran her own pickle business out of her home in Pune, and was a Marathi-speaking woman, who didn't speak English well, which embarrassed Shinde as a child. As she said in an interview, "I made this film to say sorry to my mother." The film was released on 14 September 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival followed by its commercial release in India and worldwide on 5 October 2012, and went on to receive both critical and commercial success. Besides the Filmfare Award for Best Debut Director, she was awarded the 'Laadli National Media Awards for Gender Sensitivity'.

## Personal life

Shinde married film director R. Balki in 2007.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
| 2012 | English Vinglish | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2016 | Dear Zindagi | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2022 | Chup: Revenge of The Artist | No | No | Yes |

## Awards

| Award | Category | Film | Result |
| 58th Filmfare Awards | Best Director | English Vinglish | Nominated |
| 58th Filmfare Awards | Best Debut Director | English Vinglish | Won |
| Screen Awards | Most Promising Debut Director | English Vinglish | Won |
| Screen Awards | Best Story | English Vinglish | Nominated |
| Screen Awards | Best Screenplay | English Vinglish | Nominated |
| 14th IIFA Awards | Best Story | English Vinglish | Nominated |
| 14th IIFA Awards | Best Debut Director | English Vinglish | Won |
| Zee Cine Awards 2013 | Most Promising Director | English Vinglish | Won |
| 19th Annual Colors Screen Awards | Most Promising Debut Director | English Vinglish | Won |
| Stardust Awards | Best Debut Director | English Vinglish | Won |
| Stardust Awards | Best Director | English Vinglish | Nominated |
| Laadli National Media Awards | Best Mainline Film | English Vinglish | Won |
| Star Guild Awards | Best Debut Director | English Vinglish | Won |
| Star Guild Awards | Best Director | English Vinglish | Nominated |
| Star Guild Awards | Best Story | English Vinglish | Nominated |
| Star Guild Awards | Best Screenplay | English Vinglish | Nominated |
| Star Guild Awards | Best Dialogue | English Vinglish | Nominated |
| Women's International Film and Television Showcase | Diversity Award | English Vinglish | Won |
| Toifa Awards 2013 | Best Debut Director | English Vinglish | Won |
| Screen Awards | Best Director | Dear Zindagi | Nominated |
| Screen Awards | Best Film | Dear Zindagi | Nominated |
| Stardust Awards | Best Story | Dear Zindagi | Nominated |