Bollywood's assistant directors have come into a league of their own

TOI takes a look at some assistant directors who, after training under very talented directors, have come into a league of their own this year
The biggest box-office grosser of this year till now, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, is a film made by Ayan Mukerji, the student of a very talented director Karan Johar. Ayan has not only proved his mettle as a filmmaker with the movie but has also made his mentor Karan extremely proud.Karan’s former assistant, Nikhil Advani, too is ready with his much-awaited film D-Day.
With Milan Luthria’s Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara nearing release, his mentor Mahesh Bhatt is also waiting eagerly to see what his former assistant has conjured up. “Bunty (Milan) is brighter and smarter than I am. He has an understanding of scale that I never had,” says the director.
It’s also interesting to note how some mentor-protégé duos, like Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Vikramaditya Motwane, are releasing films in the same year. While Motwane has made Lootera, Bhansali has Ram Leelareleasing later this year.
Mentor
Karan Johar
Protégés
Ayan Mukerji
Movie: Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Nikhil Advani
Movie: D-Day (Nikhil has assisted Sudhir Mishra, too)
Mentor
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Protégé
Vikramaditya Motwane
Movie: Lootera (He has assisted Anurag Kashyap too)
Mentor
Mahesh Bhatt
Protégé
Milan Luthria
Movie: Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara
Mentor
Vikram Bhatt
Protégés
Mohit Suri
Movie: Aashiqui 2
Vishesh Bhatt
Movie: Murder 3
Mentor
Anurag Kashyap
Protégé
Raj Kumar Gupta Movie: Ghanchakkar
Mentor
Sudhir Mishra (Nikhil Advani has also assisted him)