Aanand L. Rai is an Indian film director and producer known for his heartfelt romantic comedies and dramas that explore complex human relationships. He gained widespread recognition with Tanu Weds Manu (2011) and its highly successful sequel Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015), which earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director. His 2013 romantic drama Raanjhanaa, starring Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor, was both a critical and commercial success, further cementing his reputation as a director who blends emotion with entertainment.

Rai continued his streak with ambitious projects like Zero (2018), a big-budget romantic drama featuring Shah Rukh Khan, and Atrangi Re (2021), a romantic fantasy comedy-drama starring Akshay Kumar, Sara Ali Khan, and Dhanush. His most recent directorial venture, Raksha Bandhan (2022), was a family comedy-drama that touched upon themes of sibling love and societal issues. Born and raised in Delhi, Rai pursued computer engineering in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, before making a successful transition into filmmaking. His family originally bore the surname Raisinghani and migrated from Sindh to Dehradun after the Partition of India in 1947.