Bollywood is almost synonymous with romance but over the years the industry has seen a tremendous change. Gone are the days when Bollywood actors and actresses danced around trees. The audience today demands better content and better films. With changing times, filmmakers have also progressed. These new-age directors are bringing about the much-needed change in the industry. Their films are not only hard-hitting and powerful, but also thought-provoking. And the audience is loving their new content. Here are 10 Bollywood directors who changed the face of Indian cinema through their films.

Shoojit Sircar is known for creating masterpieces. The filmmaker is currently coming up with his film 'October' which is a slice-of-life drama starring Varun Dhawan and Banita Sandhu. The trailer of the film has left everybody in awe and there's no doubt that it's going to be a spectacular film. Almost all of Shoojit's films have managed to strike a balance between the critics and the audience. He is known for his films like 'Piku', 'Vicky Donor' and 'Madras Cafe'. In fact, for 'Vicky Donor' he had even bagged a national award.

This man needs no introduction. Touted as one of the most famous filmmakers in Bollywood, Rajkumar has always centered on content that was different. His movies like 'Munna Bhai M.B.B.S' (2003), 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' (2006), '3 Idiots' (2009) and 'PK' (2014) have all been huge commercial successes thanks to their different content and appeal. The audience has grown to love his films and rightfully so. He is now coming up with the Sanjay Dutt biopic and the audience has already decided that it's going to be a hit.

Zoya Akhtar's direction is touted to be plain, simple and refreshing and that's just what it is. At a time when unwanted romantic dramas were being forced in our faces, Zoya's films came like a breath of fresh air. Zoya is known for her films like 'Luck by Chance' (2009), 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' (2011) and 'Dil Dhadakne Do' (2015). Currently, she is working on her upcoming film 'Gully Boy' which will star Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in lead roles and loosely based on the lives of Mumbai rappers Divine and Naezy. Well, we can't wait to watch this one.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known for his larger than life films which have stayed with the audience throughout the years. Touted as one of the most successful filmmakers in the industry, Sanjay has always managed to create visual masterpieces. He made his directorial debut with 'Khamoshi: The Musical' and since then it has all been uphill for him. His latest directorial 'Padmaavat' did exceedingly well at the box-office and proved just how capable a filmmaker Sanjay is.

Anurag Kashyap and controversies go hand in hand. If there's one director who has never shied away from making films on topics that are not discussed in this country, its Anurag Kashyap. From 'Dev D' to 'Gangs Of Wasseypur', Anurag has always given us films that leave us longing for more. Slowly and steadily Anurag has built up an audience for his films and he never fails to disappoint when it comes to his films. Although, some didn't do well at the box-office, his films have always been a hit with the audience.

Is there anything Farhan Akhtar can't do? Farhan is a film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, playback singer and television host. Farhan's directorial debut in Bollywood was 'Dil Chahta Hai' for which he received critical acclaim for portraying modern youth. He then went on to direct hit films like 'Lakshya' and 'Don'. Much like his sister, Farhan too is known for making films that have a connection with the audience and centre on realistic things.

Dibaker Banerjee is yet another director who is known for experimenting with his films. His film 'Khosla Ka Ghosla' did exceptionally well at the box-office and went ahead to become a classic. After that he experimented with a number of films including 'Love Sex Dhokha', 'Oye Lucky Lucky Oye' and 'Shanghai'. All of these stood out in their own ways, and even his film 'Detective Byomkesh Bakshi' received a lot of positive reviews from the critics.

Ayan Mukerji is one of the most famous new-age directors. His very first film 'Wake Up Sid' which he directed at the age of 26 was probably the closest anyone had ever come to properly describing this generation. His second film 'Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani' went on to become one of the highest grosser of all time. He is now working on his film 'Brahmastra' which also stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt in lead roles. Well, he's cast Ranbir in all his films. Looks like Ranbir has also worked as a good luck charm for Ayan.

Imtiaz Ali is known for making films that highlight the simplest things in detail. He is one director who knows how to merge commercial and critical success to create masterpieces on the silver screen. While on one hand, he has directed films like 'Jab We Met' which was a romantic film, on the other hand, he has also directed films like 'Highway' which centered on Stockholm syndrome. At the end of the day, Imtiaz is one of those directors whose films end up with a full house.