BrandonGreenlee at 15:36, 16 March 2026

2026-03-16T15:36:42Z

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{{short description|Indian film director and writer (born 1972)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Homi Adajania
| image = Homi Adajania - Director.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1972|02|28}}
| birth_place = [[Bombay]], Maharashtra, India
| yearsactive = 2005–present
| occupation = Film director, writer
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Anaita Shroff Adajania]]|2002}}
| father = [[Aspy Adajania]]
}}
'''Homi Adajania''' (born 28 February 1972) is an Indian film director and writer. He made his directorial debut with ''[[Being Cyrus]]'' (2005), an English-language psychological drama. He followed this with the commercially successful Hindi-language romantic comedy ''[[Cocktail (2012 film)|Cocktail]]'' (2012). After this Adajania directed the satire ''[[Finding Fanny]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mitra |first=Shilajit |date=2 May 2023 |title=Homi Adajania's unmade films are his best |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/homi-adajanias-unmade-films-are-his-best/article66800318.ece |work=The Hindu |access-date=30 August 2023 |issn=0971-751X |archive-date=30 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830085847/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/homi-adajanias-unmade-films-are-his-best/article66800318.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Career==
{{BLP sources section|date=December 2023}}
Born on 28 February 1972,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rajpal |first1=Roktim |date=1 March 2023 |title=Sara Ali Khan shares a photo in a 'beard' as she wishes Homi Adajania on his birthday |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/sara-ali-khan-shares-a-photo-in-a-beard-as-she-wishes-homi-adjania-on-his-birthday-2341042-2023-03-01 |work=India Today |access-date=24 March 2024 |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123543/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/sara-ali-khan-shares-a-photo-in-a-beard-as-she-wishes-homi-adjania-on-his-birthday-2341042-2023-03-01 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sahani |first1=Alaka |date=4 May 2023 |title=‘Anything that’s pre-planned loses a certain sense of truth’: Homi Adajania |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/anything-thats-pre-planned-loses-a-certain-sense-of-truth-homi-adajania-8579695/ |work=The Indian Express |access-date=9 December 2025}}</ref> Adajania entered the film industry directing and co-writing the English-language psychological drama ''[[Being Cyrus]]'' (2005) starring [[Saif Ali Khan]], [[Naseeruddin Shah]], [[Dimple Kapadia]], and [[Boman Irani]]. The film earned critical acclaim, despite being commercially unsuccessful. Film critic Rajeev Masand called it "a stylish thriller that's told in an immensely engaging style."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rajeevmasand.com/uncategorized/masands-verdict-being-cyrus/ |title=Masand's verdict: Being Cyrus |last=Masand |first=Rajeev |website=Rajeev Masand |access-date=17 July 2014 |archive-date=5 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205074754/http://www.rajeevmasand.com/uncategorized/masands-verdict-being-cyrus/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Adajania's second directorial venture was the Hindi-language romantic comedy ''[[Cocktail (2012 film)|Cocktail]]'' (2012). The film was written by filmmaker [[Imtiaz Ali (director)|Imtiaz Ali]] and produced by Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan under their banner [[Illuminati Films]]. The lead roles were played by Khan, [[Deepika Padukone]], and debutante actress [[Diana Penty]], while Kapadia and [[Boman Irani]] featured in supporting roles. After its three-week run, [[Box Office India]] declared the film a hit in India and abroad. It earned mixed to positive reviews from critics.

Adajania's third directorial venture, the satirical comedy ''[[Finding Fanny]]'', was released in September 2014 in both English and Hindi. The film starred an ensemble cast including Shah, Kapadia, [[Pankaj Kapur]], Padukone, and [[Arjun Kapoor]]. The film received mostly positive reviews, and had a steady run at the box office.

His fourth directorial project was a Hindi film, ''[[Angrezi Medium]]'', starring [[Irrfan Khan]], [[Radhika Madan]] and [[Deepak Dobriyal]] which released on 12 March 2020 but had a limited release due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adajania's fifth directorial venture was an OTT series called ''[[Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo]]'' which stars [[Dimple Kapadia]], [[Radhika Madan]], [[Angira Dhar]] and [[Isha Talwar]] which is about a matriarch in a rural village who runs a drug business with her daughter and her two daughters-in-law. The show streamed on 5 May 2023 with positive reviews on [[Disney+ Hotstar]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Whittock |first1=Jesse |date=6 April 2023 |title=Disney+ Hotstar Sets 'Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo' From Director Homi Adajania As Latest Series Original |url=https://deadline.com/2023/04/disney-plus-hotstar-saas-bahu-aur-flamingo-homi-adajania-1235319238/ |work=Deadline |access-date=27 December 2023 |archive-date=21 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521161716/https://deadline.com/2023/04/disney-plus-hotstar-saas-bahu-aur-flamingo-homi-adajania-1235319238/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

His sixth directorial venture is murder-mystery drama called ''[[Murder Mubarak]]'' which stars [[Sara Ali Khan]], [[Vijay Varma]], [[Dimple Kapadia]], [[Pankaj Tripathi]], [[Karisma Kapoor]], [[Sanjay Kapoor]], and [[Tisca Chopra]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Tisca Chopra joins cast of Sara Ali Khan and Karisma Kapoor starrer 'Murder Mubarak' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/tisca-chopra-joins-cast-of-sara-ali-khan-and-karisma-kapoor-starrer-murder-mubarak/articleshow/99062799.cms |work=The Times of India |date=28 March 2023 |access-date=27 December 2023 |archive-date=27 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227170726/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/tisca-chopra-joins-cast-of-sara-ali-khan-and-karisma-kapoor-starrer-murder-mubarak/articleshow/99062799.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> It is an adaptation to the best-selling novel, ''Club you to Death'', by Anuja Chauhan .<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitra |first1=Shilajit |date=2 May 2023 |title=Homi Adajania's unmade films are his best |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/homi-adajanias-unmade-films-are-his-best/article66800318.ece |work=The Hindu |access-date=27 December 2023 |archive-date=29 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231229121056/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/homi-adajanias-unmade-films-are-his-best/article66800318.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> The film will be streamed on [[Netflix]] in 2024.

==Early life==
[[File:Anaita Shroff Adajania, Homi Adajania at India's 50 Best Dressed Men, 2012 (18).jpg|thumb|150px|With wife Anaita Shroff Adajania at India's 50 Best Dressed Men, 2012]]
Adajania was born on 28 February 1972 in a [[Parsis|Parsi]] family. His father, [[Aspy Adajania]], was an Indian Army officer and a pioneer of [[amateur boxing]] in India who went on to serve as a top administrator of the sport and as a referee officiated high-profile matches.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gupta |first1=Priya |title=Homi Adajania: I was blown away with the ease with which Deepika Padukone fit into her role - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Homi-Adajania-I-was-blown-away-with-the-ease-with-which-Deepika-Padukone-fit-into-her-role/articleshow/42277571.cms |access-date=8 December 2020 |work=The Times of India |date=12 September 2014 |language=en |archive-date=16 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416200544/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Homi-Adajania-I-was-blown-away-with-the-ease-with-which-Deepika-Padukone-fit-into-her-role/articleshow/42277571.cms |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=That distinct Parsi touch |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/features/distinct-parsi-touch-1502607176.html |access-date=8 December 2020 |work=The Statesman |date=24 March 2018 |archive-date=22 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222052906/https://www.thestatesman.com/features/distinct-parsi-touch-1502607176.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Homi lost his sister, Zia Diwan Adajania, to a stroke in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Parande |first1=Shweta |title=Director Homi Adajania's sister Zia Adajania-Divan passes away {{!}} India.com |url=https://www.india.com/entertainment/director-homi-adajanias-sister-%E2%80%8Ezia-adajania-divan-passes-away-182991/ |access-date=23 April 2022 |work=India.com |date=29 October 2014 |language=en |archive-date=23 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423183739/https://www.india.com/entertainment/director-homi-adajanias-sister-%E2%80%8Ezia-adajania-divan-passes-away-182991/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Personal life==
He is married to fashion stylist and the Fashion Director of ''[[Vogue India]]'', [[Anaita Shroff Adajania]]<ref name="Vijayakar">{{cite web|url=http://www.indiawest.com/news/5608-homi-adajania-on-the-fresh-look-of-cocktail.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722224655/http://www.indiawest.com/news/5608-homi-adajania-on-the-fresh-look-of-cocktail.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 July 2012 |title=Homi Adajania on the Fresh Look of 'Cocktail' |last=Vijayakar |first=R. M. |date=20 July 2012 |work=India-West |access-date=28 June 2013 }}</ref> and has two children.<ref name="CITEREFHomiAdjania">{{cite news|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/ten-things-you-should-know-about-cocktails-director-homi-adajania-374770.html | title= Ten things you should know about Homi Adajania | first=Rubina A. | last=Khan | date=11 July 2012 | publisher=FirstPost.com | access-date=7 July 2018}}</ref><ref name="Jha">{{cite journal|last=Jha|first=Nishita|author2=Leanza, Gae Emilio|date=4 August 2012|title=Will the real Homi please stand up?|journal=[[Tehelka]]|volume=9|issue=31|url=http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main53.asp?filename=hub040812WILL.asp|access-date=28 June 2013|archive-date=22 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522024910/http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main53.asp?filename=hub040812WILL.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref> His sister-in-law, Scherezade Shroff - a well known YouTuber, is married to actor [[Vaibhav Talwar]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Inside Scherezade Shroff's wedding with Vaibhav Talwar's wedding |url=https://www.vogue.in/galleries/inside-scherezade-shroffs-wedding-vaibhav-talwars-wedding |access-date=23 April 2022 |magazine=[[Vogue India]] |language=en-IN |archive-date=14 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214134318/https://www.vogue.in/galleries/inside-scherezade-shroffs-wedding-vaibhav-talwars-wedding |url-status=live }}</ref>

He played in his youth for the [[Bombay Gymkhana]] rugby football team in Mumbai. He is a certified CMAS (Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques) dive instructor, and used to teach in the [[Lakshadweep]] islands.<ref name="CITEREFHomiAdjania"/>

==Filmography==
===Films===
{|class="wikitable"
! Year !! Title !!Director !!Writer !! Producer
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Being Cyrus]]'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}}||{{no}}
|-
| 2012 || ''[[Cocktail (2012 film)|Cocktail]]'' ||{{yes}} ||{{no}} ||{{no}}
|-
| 2014 || ''[[Finding Fanny]]'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}}||{{no}}
|-
| 2017 ||''[[Raabta (film)|Raabta]]'' ||{{no}} ||{{no}} ||{{yes}}
|-
| 2019 ||''[[The Fakir Of Venice]]''||{{no}} ||{{partial|Story}} ||{{no}}
|-
| 2020 || ''[[Angrezi Medium]]'' ||{{yes}} ||{{no}} ||{{no}}
|-
| 2024 || ''[[Murder Mubarak]]'' ||{{yes}} ||{{no}} ||{{no}}
|-
| 2026 || ''{{pending film|[[Cocktail 2]]}}'' ||{{yes}} ||{{no}} ||{{no}}
|}

===Short films===
{|class="wikitable"
! Year !! Title !!Director !!Writer !! Producer
|-
|2015 ||''[[My Choice (film)|My Choice]]''<ref>{{cite news |title=Misunderstanding made 'My Choice' explosively viral: Homi Adajania |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/misunderstanding-made-my-choice-explosively-viral-homi-adajania/ |access-date=28 May 2023 |work=The Indian Express |agency=IANS |date=10 April 2015 |language=en |archive-date=28 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528162356/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/misunderstanding-made-my-choice-explosively-viral-homi-adajania/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}}||{{yes}}
|}

===Television===
{|class="wikitable"
! Year !! Title !!Creator!!Director !!Writer
|-
|2023
|''[[Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| {{partial|Story}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|1223294}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adajania, Homi}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian male screenwriters]]
[[Category:Film directors from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Hindi-language film directors]]
[[Category:Cathedral and John Connon School alumni]]
[[Category:Parsi people from Mumbai]]
[[Category:1972 births]]

Homi Adajania - Revision history

BrandonGreenlee at 15:36, 16 March 2026