Happy Birthday to Sooraj Barjatya, Indian screenwriter, director, and producer, born February 22, 1964, in Mumbai. His late grandfather, Tarachand Barjatya, founded Rajshri Productions and encouraged Sooraj to write and direct his first film when only 24, a teen romance starring Salman Khan “Maine Pyar Kiya” (1990). Rajshri, which was on the verge of closing, was saved by the film, which also won the Filmfare Best Film Award. His second film, “Hum Aapke Hain Koun…!” (1994), also starred Salman Khan won him a Filmfare Award for Best Director and Best Screenplay. Both films were blockbusters. Sooraj is credited with bringing families back into movie houses with family-friendly themes when television was competing for viewers in the early 90s. In 1999, he wrote and directed “Hum Saath-Saath Hain” (We Stand United). It was another hit showing family values in relationships in everyday life. In 2003, he wrote and directed “Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon”, his only failure at the box office. In 2006, Sooraj directed “Vivah”, starring Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao. The film followed them from engagement to marriage and became one of the biggest hits of the year. In 2015, Sooraj released another hit which he wrote and directed, the family drama “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo”, starring Salman, in a double role, and Sonam Kapoor. It was the second highest-grossing Hindi film of that year. He has announced his next film with Amitabh Bachchan will be called ‘Oonchai’. Sooraj is currently the Director of Rajshri Productions.