After receiving a Bachelor's degree in English Literature in Mumbai, Tanuja Chandra completed further studies towards a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film Direction and Writing in the USA. She returned to India and directed the television shows, Mirch Masala and Zameen Aasmaan. After this, she co-wrote the screenplay and dialogue for Mahesh Bhatt’s films, Zakhm and Tamanna, both of which won National awards, and co-wrote Yash Chopra’s Dil To Pagal Hai. She began independent film direction in 1998 with Dushman and directed Sangharsh, Sur - A Melody of Life, Zindaggi Rocks, and the English language film, Hope and A Little Sugar in 2008, amongst others. Several of her films received awards in different categories and her English film received recognition in international film festivals. In 2017, her most recent film, Qarib Qarib Singlle released, and a collection of short stories by her, called Bijnis Woman was published by Penguin Random House.
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Biography from TMDB.
- June 3, 1969 (57)
- Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Director and writer, also producer
- 5 on Motif · 17 credits in all
What are Tanuja Chandra's films like?
Across their 5 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Survival.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 0 · Earnest 4
A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 1 · Dark 1
Grounded 3 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0
Gentle 1 · Charged 2 · Intense 1
Steady 2 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0
Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0
Casual 3 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 1 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 1
Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy2
- Bittersweet2
- Ambiguous1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Tanuja Chandra's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 5 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service.
- ZEE5
Subscription and free streaming for Tanuja Chandra's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
17 credits, 5 with a Motif page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.
Wedding.con (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2023)
Hush Hush(2022)
Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all shows
Zindagi in Short (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2020)
Aunty Sudha Aunty Radha (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)
A Monsoon Date (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2018)
Silvat (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2018)
Qarib Qarib Single(2017)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Hope & a Little Sugar(2006)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Zindaggi Rocks (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)
Film Star (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2005)
Sur: The Melody of Life (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)
Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2001)
Sangharsh(1999)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Zakhm (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)
Dushman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)
Tamanna (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)
Dil To Pagal Hai(1997)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Career shape
A full career of 17 titles from 1997 to 2023.
How do Tanuja Chandra's films land?
Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 76th percentile, the median of all 4; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 76th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up2
- 50th to 74th2
- Below 25th1
Shape of the crowd
2 of their 5 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved1
- Divisive1
- Crowd Pleaser2
- Mixed1
Reviewers score the atmosphere 70/100 and the pacing 47/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Who does Tanuja Chandra work with?
People who share at least 2 of Tanuja Chandra's Motif titles; Akshay Kumar shares the most, 2.
- Akshay KumarShared titles: Sangharsh (1999), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)See all 2 shared titles with Akshay Kumar
- Chandan AroraShared titles: Hush Hush (2022), Qarib Qarib Single (2017)See all 2 shared titles with Chandan Arora