Kiran Rao

Early life

Kiran Rao was born on 7 November 1973 in Bengaluru, daughter of retired army officer C R Rao and Uma Rao. She grew up in Calcutta, where she attended Loreto House & La Martinière for Girls. In 1992, her parents decided to leave Calcutta for Bangalore so she moved to Mumbai for undergraduate studies. She graduated with an economics major from the Sophia College for Women in 1995. She attended the Social Communications Media course at the Sophia Polytechnic for two months, but then quit and left for Delhi. She got her master's degree at AJK Mass Communication Research Centre at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.

Actress Aditi Rao Hydari is Rao's first cousin. Rao's paternal and Hydari's maternal grandfather, J. Rameshwar Rao, was the Raja of Wanaparthy, a large estate under the Nizam of Hyderabad.

Career

Rao started her career as the assistant director in the epic film Lagaan directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, whom she also assisted later on Swades: We, the People. Lagaan was nominated for 74th Academy Awards in the foreign language film category. Aamir Khan produced and starred in the same film. Before Lagaan, she has also done minute role of supporting actress in Dil Chahta Hai. She also worked as second assistant director with Academy Award-nominated director Mira Nair on the indie hit Monsoon Wedding.

She scripted and directed the film Dhobi Ghat, which was released in January 2011 under Aamir Khan Productions. She has started writing her next film which had roots in Kolkata.

Kiran Rao was made the chairperson of the Mumbai Film Festival - MAMI in 2015. She also sang a Marathi song 'Toofan Aalaya', the Satyamev Jayate Water Cup Anthem.

In 2024, her film Laapataa Ladies was selected as the Indian entry for the Best International Feature Film for the 97th Academy Awards.

Personal life

Rao married actor Aamir Khan in December 2005, after Khan divorced his former wife Reena Dutta in 2002. They met on the sets of Lagaan. Rao was one of the film's assistant directors. They were living in Bandra, a Mumbai suburb. The couple have a son, Azad Rao Khan, born in December 2011 (through a surrogate mother) who has been named after Abul Kalam Azad.

Rao has been a vegan, and she had influenced her then-husband, Aamir Khan, to turn vegan as well. After discussing the issue, both of them decided to turn vegan.

On 3 July 2021, Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan announced their decision to divorce after 15 years of marriage via a joint statement where they thanked their family and friends for their continuous support in this matter. They stated that they would continue to raise their son as co-parents.

Filmography

Director

Producer

Presenter

Singer

References

References

1. (10 November 2008). "Aamir surprises Kiran on birthday". Filmibeat.com.
2. Gupta, Pratim D.. (3 December 2010). "She's the one!". The Daily Telegraph.
3. "Kiran Rao".
4. (3 January 2006). "No glitz at Aamir's reception".
5. "Kiran Rao's schooling".
6. "Look who's home, it's Mrs Khan Kiran's next: solo food trip - Director of Dhobi Ghat rediscovers city on drive down memory lane".
7. (11 January 2024). "Kiran Rao: Unveiling the royal legacy of Aamir Khan's ex-wife; Know how she is related to Aditi Rao Hydari".
8. Gupta, Pratim D. (2010-12-06). "The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) {{!}} Entertainment {{!}} She's the one!".
9. (8 March 2024). "Kiran Rao: The Gentle Subversive".
10. (22 January 2011). "Dear Mr. Subhash Ghai, my name is Kiran Rao". Tehelka Magazine.
11. (1 February 2012). "The Princes and Princess of Wanaparthi, Andhra Pradesh".
12. (26 November 2015). "Kiran, Aditi Rao's first cousin, has Telangana link". Deccan Chronicle.
13. Sameer. (2015-11-27). "Aamir Khan's wife Kiran Rao belongs to Wanaparthy, Mahboob Nagar".
14. "The little known Bollywood debut of Kiran Rao in Dil Chahta Hai". Pinkvilla.
15. "Best of Bollywood, South Cinema, Celebrity Photos & Videos - MSN India".
16. "Aamir is a dream producer: Kiran Rao". The Times of India.
17. (2 February 2011). "India's Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao Talk Dhobi Ghat, Art, Love and Career". UrbLife.com.
18. (2015-06-30). "Hope to make space for indie film distribution at MAMI: Kiran Rao". The Indian Express.
19. Paani Foundation. (3 January 2017). "Toofan Aala - Satyamev Jayate Water Cup Anthem (तुफान आलंया - सत्यमेव जयते वॉटर कप गीत)".
20. (23 September 2024). "Laapataa Ladies is India's official entry to Oscars 2025; trumps Animal, Aattam and All We Imagine As Light".
21. "Grand reception for Aamir Khan-Kiran Rao wedding".
22. "Baby boy for Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao".
23. (11 March 2015). "AAMIR GOES THE VEGAN WAY!". Mumbai Mirror.
24. (15 March 2015). "Recently Turned Vegan Aamir Khan To Judge 'MasterChef India 4' Finale?". The Huffington Post.
25. (11 March 2015). "Aamir Khan quits non-vegetarian food, turns vegan". The Indian Express.
26. "Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao announce divorce after 15 years of marriage". The News Minute.
27. Chawla, Sonal. (2009-02-23). "Aamir Khan's wife Kiran Rao's directorial debut, Dhobi Ghaat's shoot stuck". Mid Day.
28. सिंह, चारु. (2024-05-19). "लापता लेडीज़: ग्रामीण ब्याहताओं के व्यक्तित्व की तलाश".
29. "Everything You Want To Know About Aamir Khan's Rubaru Roshni".