Who is Rohit Dhawan? Meet Varun Dhawan’s Filmmaker Brother Away from the Spotlight

Indian filmmaker Rohit Dhawan, elder brother of actor Varun Dhawan, has carved his niche behind the camera, directing hits like Desi Boyz, Dishoom and Shehzada while staying away from the spotlight. 

Image Credit : Instagram

Rohit Dhawan is an Indian film director and screenwriter best known for his work in mainstream Bollywood. Born on 26 December 1983 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, he hails from the prominent Dhawan film family. He is the elder son of celebrated filmmaker David Dhawan and Karuna Chopra, and the older brother of actor Varun Dhawan.

Image Credit : Instagram

Unlike his younger brother, who is frequently in the media spotlight, Rohit Dhawan has maintained a relatively low public profile, focusing primarily on his work behind the camera. He earned a filmmaking degree from New York University and began his career assisting on several major Hindi films before moving into directing and writing.

Image Credit : Instagram

Rohit made his directorial debut with the 2011 comedy Desi Boyz, featuring big stars like Akshay Kumar and John Abraham. He followed it with Dishoom in 2016, an action comedy that also starred his brother Varun Dhawan. Later, he directed Shehzada, a 2023 remake of the Telugu hit Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo.

Image Credit : Instagram

While Rohit works mostly behind the scenes, his contributions are notable for blending commercial appeal with mainstream Bollywood sensibilities. Varun Dhawan has publicly credited his brother as one of his earliest supporters, stating that Rohit believed in him before anyone else in his career.

Personal Life

Rohit Dhawan married entrepreneur Jaanvi Desai in 2012 after a long courtship. The couple has two children, a daughter, Niyara, born in 2018, and a son born in 2022. Although Rohit tends to stay out of media glare, he occasionally makes headlines for family milestones and film projects.