Vijay Kumar Arora
Indian filmmaker
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Vijay Kumar Arora, also known as Daddu, is an Indian filmmaker and cinematographer who predominantly works in the Hindi and Punjabi film industries. As a cinematographer, he is known for his collaborations with Mahesh Manjrekar, Anubhav Sinha, and Remo D'Souza.
Vijay Kumar Arora | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | Amritsar, Punjab, India |
| Other names | Daddu |
| Occupations | Film director and cinematographer |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
For his work as a filmmaker, he was awarded the 66th National Film Award for Best Punjabi Feature Film for Harjeeta.[1][2] His other directorial Punjabi film, Guddiyan Patole, earned him a nomination for Best Director at the PTC Punjabi Film Awards in 2020.[3] The film went on to win the Jury's Choice Award for Best Film at the 10th PTC Punjabi Film Awards in 2020.[4]
Early life and career
Arora began his career in the late 1990s and worked as a cinematographer on Hindi films such as Vaastav: The Reality (1999), Kurukshetra (2000), Tum Bin (2001), Pyaar Kiya Nahin Jaata (2003), Dhamaal (2007), and ABCD (2013). His later cinematographic work includes Any Body Can Dance 2 (2015), A Flying Jatt (2016), and Street Dancer 3D (2020). He also worked on television projects, including Hasratein, Sea Hawks, Hum Bombay Nahi Jayenge, and Shikast.[5]
In the early 2010s, Arora made his directorial debut with the Punjabi film Ronde Sare Vyah Picho (2013), starring Neeru Bajwa. He went on to direct films such as Harjeeta (2018), which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Punjabi,[6] Guddiyan Patole (2019), Kali Jotta (2023), and Godday Godday Chaa (2023).[7][8]
Arora has also directed music videos for artists such as Gippy Grewal, Mika Singh, B Praak, Raftaar, and Badshah, in collaboration with T-Series, and for Sonu Nigam's album Deewana.[5]
Filmography
As cinematographer
| Year | Film | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Aai | Marathi | Debut |
| 1999 | Vaastav: The Reality | Hindi | |
| 2000 | Jungle | ||
| Nidaan | |||
| Astitva | Marathi Hindi | ||
| Kurukshetra | Hindi | ||
| 2001 | Tum Bin | ||
| Tera Mera Saath Rahen | |||
| Ehsaas: The Feeling | |||
| 2002 | Pitaah | ||
| Hathyar | |||
| 2003 | Pyaar Kiya Nahin Jaata | ||
| Aapko Pehle Bhi Kahin Dekha Hai | |||
| 2004 | Rakht | ||
| 2005 | Padmashree Laloo Prasad Yadav | ||
| Dus | |||
| It Was Raining That Night | |||
| Viruddh | |||
| Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! | |||
| 2006 | Naksha | ||
| 2007 | Deha | ||
| Dhamaal | |||
| 2008 | Love Story 2050 | ||
| 2009 | Do Knot Disturb | ||
| 2011 | F.A.L.T.U | ||
| 2013 | ABCD: Anybody Can Dance | ||
| 2014 | Action Jackson | ||
| 2015 | ABCD 2 | ||
| 2016 | A Flying Jatt | ||
| 2018 | Nawabzaade | ||
| Mohalla Assi | |||
| 2020 | Street Dancer 3D | ||
| 2025 | Be Happy | ||
As director
- Ronde Sare Vyah Picho (2013)
- Harjeeta (2018)
- Guddiyan Patole (2019)
- Kali Jotta (2023)
- Godday Godday Chaa (2023)
- Son of Sardaar 2 (2025)
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | National Film Awards | Best Punjabi Feature film | Harjeeta | Won | [1] |
| 2018 | PTC Punjabi Film Awards | Best Director | Harjeeta | Nominated | [6] |
| 2019 | PTC Punjabi Film Awards | Best Director | Guddiyan Patole | Nominated | [9] |
| 2025 | National Film Awards | Best Punjabi Feature film | Godday Godday Chaa | Won | [10] |