Born in Delhi on 8th December 1969, son of shri Ram Gopal Bajaj & Late shrimati Chandrakala Khemchand Prakash. Riju did SSC from Gyan bharati School saket new Delhi in 1987 and HSC from Abner Memorial School in 1989. He then joined DAV college ashram to study BA History honours, but soon gave up his graduation midway to pursue acting career and left his home to be in Bombay in 1990. In 1979, Riju had attended India’s first theatre workshop for children hosted by national school of drama Delhi. Riju started his acting career at an early age of 11 years when he performed in a stage play ‘Kya Yeh Sach Bol Raha Hai’ in 1980 designed by NSD undergraduates. He soon took up tv serials and became popular with Lekhu, a story about a aspiring scientist hailing from a poor family who succeeds against all tides. His major work got him noticed in Tamas, directed by Govind Nihalani, for which he was nominated for best supporting actor in national awards in 1988 and it helped him gain confidence of other film makers like Amol Palekar who cast him in his film Thoda Sa Roomani Ho Jayen and Shyamm Benegal took him in his films Antarnaad & Suraj Ka Satvaan Ghoda which consolidated his position as a good actor. He was very popular with his tv show Humraahi where he played a bratish biographical character who also leaves his home to pursue acting career. While shooting for the India’s first reality serial – ‘The Mating Game Show’ directed by Govind Nihalani for BITV, Riju realised that he wanted to be a director and shared his thoughts with Mr. Govind Nihalani who offered to take him as his assistant in his next film Sanshodhan. Riju also assisted him in Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa. later, While learning the ropes of the trade with Gyan Sahay, Virender Saini and Deepa Mehta, Riju branched out as an independent director with popular tv series India’s Most Wanted. His next tv series for etv urdu – Phir Bhi became a channel flagship and established him as a promising director. in 2005 Riju co-wrote and co-directed the feature film Yun Hota To Kya Hota with Naseeruddin Shah.