Biography

Vivek Agnihotri is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and author. He is a board member of Indias Central Board of Film Certification. Vivek Agnihotri is a cultural representative of Indian Cinema at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. He began his career with renowned Indian advertising agencies, and gradually, he shifted to the entertainment industry in India.Soon after completing his formal studies, Vivek Agnihotri worked with the worlds top companies including J. Walter Thompson, Ogilvy & Mather, MacCann, Maggi, Nestle, and P&G. He also worked in the product launching team of Gillette and Coca-Cola. Later, Vivek Agnihotri established his own advertising company named Art Beat in Delhi. Soon, this company was regarded among the top ten fastest-growing agencies in India by Bussiness Today.Later, Vivek Agnihotri entered the Indian entertainment industry as a screenwriter and made an award-winning documentary film named Social Justice in India. Vivek Agnihotri then started his own film production banner titled Vivek Agnihotri Creates and screened various campaigns for renowned Indian brands such as Vicks, Godrej, P&G, Dainik Bhaskar, Government of India, and Blind Association of India.Thereafter, Vivek Agnihotri made a public ad film on AIDS, and for this ad film, Vivek Agnihotri won the A&M Gold award and Ad Club Gold award for excellent creativity and for his contribution to the welfare of society.Vivek Agnihotri has written the scripts of a number of memorable Indian television shows including Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum (2015), Rishtey (2002), Saturday Suspense (1997), X-Zone (1998), Anubandh, and Asambhav (2004).Vivek Agnihotri is considered the Thriller King of the Indian entertainment industry.Vivek Agnihotri is an avid public speaker. He is often spotted speaking on various socio-political issues such as Creative Thinking and Innovation at various renowned global institutions including Ted, Harvard University Conclave, Neeti Aayog, Ideas India Conclave, World Hindu Congress, Indo-US Chamber of Commerce, and FICCI. The renowned international universities such as Purdue, Columbia, UNC, Houston University, Ohio State University in the USA, Oxford University, Kings College in the UK, and Indian educational institutions such as IITs, IIMs, National Law University, BHU, JNU, DU, Mumbai university often invite Vivek Agnihotri to speak on various social issues.In 2005, Vivek Agnihotri made his directorial debut with the film Chocolate, which was based on the story of a 1995 Hollywood crime thriller film.Vivek Agnihotris film Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal (2007) did average business at the box office. In 2014, his erotic thriller film Zid gave a poor performance at the box office.In 2009, Vivek Agnihotri, along with his wife, founded the I am Buddha Foundation, which is an NGO that focuses on training the minds of disadvantaged youth towards creative thinking. Amid the COVID-19 lockdown crises in India, this NGO financially helped the deprived children and several unprivileged families across Maharashtra.