Rajesh Mapuskar spent his childhood in Shrivardhan, a village in coastal Maharashtra watching movies in the cinema hall his family owned. He took care of it too; cleaning up, taking bookings and started the film shows. In 1991, he started working with veteran ad film maker Dilip Ghosh at Z Films. He worked there for 4 years, then left to start on his own, producing and line-producing ad films in India and abroad. It was at this time that he met and formed a friendship with Rajkumar Hirani.

He started collective efforts which became a leading Line producers working for most of the top of the line Production houses in India and executed projects in India and abroad. Mapuskar started directing music videos too for artistes like Sonu Nigam, Jagjit Singh and Mika. Collective Effort Films also handled photographer Prasad Naik’s print campaigns and multiple ad films in India and abroad.

Rajesh worked as Chief Assistant Director on Rajkumar Hirani’s directorial debut, Munnabhai MBBS. After Munnabhai MBBS, Mapuskar worked on Hirani’s next two films Lage Raho Munnabhai and 3 Idiots, as Associate Director. All three films were produced by Vinod Chopra Films.

Under the same banner, Rajesh Mapuskar made his writing and directorial debut with Ferrari Ki Sawaari. The critically acclaimed ‘father-son-father’ film, starring Sharman Joshi and Boman Irani, was released on 15 June 2012.

Mapuskar’s next film was Marathi language film Ventilator. Written and directed by him, the film was produced by Priyanka Chopra. The dark comedy on family relationships released on 4 November 2016 and featured Jitendra Joshi and director-actor Ashutosh Gowariker, along with an ensemble cast of 116 actors, including Mapuskar’s sons Utsav and Zeal. He won the National Award for best director for the same movie.

He is currently working on his next Hindi film, a musical based in North East India.

Mapuskar has directed numerous ad films in India and abroad for us. He has worked with brands like Cadbury Drinking Chocolate, Vodacom, Milo, Cello Butterflow, Airtel, Serengeti Beer, Classmate Pens and Pan Emirates.