Renu Saluja

Very few filmmakers can maintain a balance and succeed in art films as well as commercial cinema. Renu Saluja was one such woman. She was an editor, who was born in Punjab, India on July 5, 1952. In 1974, Renu tried to enroll herself in Film and Television Institute of India's direction program. However, the institution rejected it and gave her admission into their editing section. 

Though it was a male-dominated profession, Renu accepted the offer without much hesitation and studied there for two years. Initially, Renu began her journey by collaborating with her classmates from Film and Television Institute of India like Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Kundan Shah, Saeed Akhtar Mirza, and others. In fact, it was her work in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro that forced the industry to notice her. Nearly six years after her graduation, Renu started getting offers from people who were not her batch mates.

In 1983, her movie Ardh Satya became immensely famous. After Ardh Satya, Renu began receiving opportunities from small screen as well. Renu was in the cinema business for more than twenty-five years and has been a part of nearly thirty-five films. She is a four-time winner of National Awards besides others. On August 16, 2000, she took her last breath. She lost her battle of life to stomach cancer.

After six years of her death, GraFTII, FTII's alumnus association, released a novel capturing her life in it named Invisible - The Art of Renu Saluja. In 2009, they also conducted a film festival in association with E-City ventures wherein they showcased most of her movies. Her co-workers and directors also attended the function and shared some memories of her with the audiences.

In fact, it was as a tribute to her. Renu's older sister, Radha Saluja, is an actress who has predominantly worked in Hindi and Punjabi motion pictures. Dr. Kumkum Khadalia, her younger sister, is a surgeon. In 1976, Renu married director, colleague, and fellow batch mate Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The couple worked together on various projects. However, after few years, their marriage hit rock bottom, and they separated from each other. Despite the issues in their marriage, they continued to share a great professional as well as personal relationship until her untimely death. After Vinod, Renu found love in Sudhir Mishra, a filmmaker. In 2005, he even based his female protagonist's character from Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi on her.

The Chopras’ Family Tree (Infographic Family Tree)

Saluja Family Tree (Infographic Family Tree)