Our Films, Their Films - Indian Cinema in the World

Sudhir Mishra is an Indian film director and screenwriter who has been working in the Hindi film industry for over 30 years. He is known for his gritty and realistic films that often deal with social and political issues. Some of his most acclaimed films include Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2005), Dharavi (1992), Chameli (2003), Serious Men (2020) and Afwaah (2023). He has won numerous awards for his work including National Film Awards, a Filmfare Award and the French honour of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters). He is considered one of the most valuable and influential directors working in India today.

Chaitanya Tamhane is an independent filmmaker based in Mumbai. His debut feature Court premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2014, where it was awarded the Best Film – Orizzonti and the ‘Lion of the Future’ award. It went on to win over 30 awards at film festivals worldwide including the National Award for Best Feature Film and was India’s official entry for the 2016 Oscars. His second film, The Disciple, executive produced by Alfonso Cuarón, had its World Premiere at the 77th Venice Film Festival in competition.  It was awarded the ‘Golden Osella’ for Best Screenplay by the jury and the International Critics Prize for Best Film by FIPRESCI. The film was released worldwide in 2021 as a Netflix Original. In 2023 he was invited to be a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He was recently awarded the Civitella Ranieri Foundation Fellowship in Italy and a fellowship by the NIPKOW Programme in Berlin.

Nandita Das has acted in more than 40 films in 10 different languages. She has written and directed three feature films, Firaaq (premiered at TIFF in 2008), Manto (premiered at the Cannes Film festival in 2018) and Zwigato (premiered at TIFF in 2023), winning much appreciation and accolades from audiences and critics. The last two films were also produced by ‘Nandita Das Initiatives’, a creative platform founded by her in 2016. Under NDI, she has also directed and produced shorts such as India’s Got Colour and Listen to Her that shed light on pertinent social issues. She wrote the book, Manto & I, chronicling her six-year long journey of making the film. She has served twice on the jury of Cannes Film Festival, among others. She was conferred the ‘Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters’ by the French Government in 2011. She was the Chairperson of the Children’s Film Society from 2009-2012. She co-wrote, directed and acted in the play, Between the Lines. She has an MA in Social Work and advocates issues of human rights and social justice.

Nirupama Kotru is an officer of the Indian Revenue Service,1992, and has served in the Income Tax Department at Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Pune. On deputation, she served as Director (e Governance) in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and as Director (Films) in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, where she looked after policy issues such as censorship, India’s participation in film festivals abroad, archiving, film schools and production of films. As Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture she has looked after prestigious national academies such as Sahitya Akademi and National School of Drama and national museums such as Indian Museum and Victoria Memorial Hall & Museum. Thereafter, she was posted as Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor, Ministries of Coal, Mines & Minority Affairs. At present she serves as Chief Commissioner of Income Tax at Mumbai. She has released an album of bhajans called Upasana. She has also written around thirty articles on cinema and other topics such as parenting. She has co-edited an anthology on Hindi cinema titled The Swinging Seventies.