Laxman Utekar

Laxman Utekar is an Indian film director and cinematographer who works in Hindi and Marathi cinema. Born in a village in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, he moved to Mumbai as a child and rose from odd jobs — selling eggs, running a vada pav stall and sweeping a sound studio — to the camera department, shooting films such as English Vinglish and Dear Zindagi. He turned director with the Marathi film Tapaal (2014) and made Hindi hits including Luka Chuppi (2019), Mimi (2021) and Zara Hatke Zara Bachke (2023). His 2025 historical epic Chhaava, on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, grossed over ₹800 crore and became one of the biggest Hindi films of the year, with a biopic on folk legend Vithabai among his reported upcoming projects.

Laxman Utekar is an Indian film director and cinematographer who works in Hindi and Marathi cinema. Born in a village in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, he moved to Mumbai as a child and worked his way up from odd jobs to the camera department, serving as a cinematographer on films such as English Vinglish and Dear Zindagi. He turned director with the Marathi film Tapaal (2014) and went on to make Hindi hits including Luka Chuppi (2019) and Mimi (2021). His 2025 historical epic Chhaava, on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, became one of the biggest Hindi films of the year.

Laxman Utekar was born in a village in the Raigad district of Maharashtra and moved to Mumbai with his uncle at a very young age. His early years in the city were marked by hardship — he has spoken about selling boiled eggs as a child, running a vada pav stall at Shivaji Park and working as a sweeper in a sound studio to make ends meet. These experiences shaped a strong work ethic and a storytelling instinct rooted in everyday life.

Unlike many in the industry, Utekar comes from outside a film background and built his career from the ground up. He keeps his personal and family life largely out of the public eye, and details such as his marital status are not widely documented.

Utekar entered films through the camera department, working his way to director of photography. His cinematography credits include English Vinglish (2012), Hindi Medium (2017), Dear Zindagi (2016) and 102 Not Out (2018), giving him a strong visual grounding before he moved into direction.

He made his directorial debut with the Marathi film Tapaal (2014), followed by Lalbaugchi Rani (2016). He then moved to mainstream Hindi cinema with the commercial hit Luka Chuppi (2019), the surrogacy drama Mimi (2021) and the comedy Zara Hatke Zara Bachke (2023), blending commercial appeal with socially rooted themes.

His biggest success came with the historical action drama Chhaava (2025), based on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, which grossed over ₹800 crore. He is reported to be developing further projects, including a biopic on the folk legend Vithabai.

Laxman Utekar's net worth is reported by third-party sites at around ₹25–30 crore, an estimate rather than a confirmed figure. His income comes from directing and cinematography fees on his films, especially after the large commercial success of Chhaava. He has not officially disclosed his earnings.