Dharmendra, popularly known as Tinu Suresh Desai, is an Indian film director born on August 28, 1974, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He hails from a Gujarati-speaking family, and his father, Suresh Desai, is a well-known production manager recognized for his work in films like "Sholay," "Shaan," and "Seeta aur Geeta." Tinu Desai began his journey in the film industry as an Assistant Director, starting with the 1997 film "Zameer: The Awakening of a Soul." He subsequently worked as a Chief Assistant and Associate Director for movies such as "Arjun Pandit," "Anari No. 1," and "Players." In 2006, Desai made his directorial debut with the film "1920 London," featuring Sharman Joshi and Meera Chopra. However, he gained significant recognition for his work on the 2016 Akshay Kumar-starrer film "Rustom," which was reportedly based on the 1959 court case K. M. Nanavati V. State of Maharashtra. The movie also starred Ileana D`Cruz, Arjan Bajwa, and Esha Gupta. Desai`s direction in "Rustom" earned him accolades, including the Star Screen Award and the ETC Bollywood Business Awards for "Most Promising Debut Director" in 2016. Notably, Akshay Kumar won his first National Film Award for his performance in "Rustom."