- Manish Jha
-
Born May 3, 1978
BiharNationality Indian Occupation film director, screenwriter Manish Jha (born May 3, 1978) is an Indian film director and screenwriter, most known for his films, A Very Very Silent Film (2001) and Matrubhoomi-A Nation Without Women (2003) which won him critical acclaim.[1][2]
Contents
Early life and education
Born in Bettiah, in West Champaran district of Bihar, Jha grew up in Delhi where he had moved at an early age. He did his gradutaion in English from Ramjas College, Delhi University, where he also joined its theatre group aiming to become an actor.[1]
Career
After completing his studies, Jha moved to Mumbai and began working as an assistant director in television serials hoping to get a break. When the break never came, to made a five-minute documentary on the homeless putting in Rs 30,000, A Very Very Silent Film, which won the Jury Prize for the Best Short Film at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.[3] Meanwhile he also assisted Prakash Jha in Rahul (2001) and Anil Kumaar Sharma in Kaise Kahoon Ke... Pyaar Hai (2003).
Thereafter he made his feature debut with Matrubhoomi (2003) about effects of female infanticide, which won a series of awards and critical acclaim.[4][2] At the 2003 Venice Film Festival, it was presented in the Critic's Week (Parallel section) and later awarded the FIPRESCI Award "For it's important theme on women's issues and female infanticide handled with sensitivity by a first-time director".[5][6]
His next was Anwar (2007), a film set in Lucknow, about stereotyping of Muslims in the post 9/11 era, the film was inspired his own experience in New York when according to him, two day after the 9/11 while walking on the road, he was detained by the police and interrogated for five hours, since he was unshaven and had long hairs and looked like a Muslim man.[7] In 2008, he directed the segment title, "And it Rained" in anthology film, with 11 directors, Mumbai Cutting, which became the closing film of 10th Osian's Cinefan Festival in Delhi.[8]
He next directed a two-hour yoga DVD, Shilpa’s Yoga (2008) for actress Shilpa Shetty, shot against the coastal backdrop of Kerala.[9]
His upcoming project, Manjhi was announced in July 2010, is based on the real life story of Dashrath Manjhi also known as "Mountain Man" in a town in Bihar, who over a period of 22 year single-handedly to carve out a path through an entire mountain, the film is produced by Sanjay Singh, who previously produced Udaan (2010) and Manoj Bajpai is slated to play the lead, while the script remains under development.[10][11]
Personal life
Growing up he always wanted was to keep his hair long and act, though when tried enter the theatre group at Delhi’s Ramjas College, he was asked to first cut off his long hair.[1]
Filmography
- Director
- A Very Very Silent Film (2001) (short)
- Matrubhoomi (2005)
- Anwar (2007)
- Mumbai Cutting (segment "And It Rained") (2010)
- Screenwriter
- Matrubhoomi (2005)
- Anwar (2007)
- Assistant director
- Rahul (2001)
- Kaise Kahoon Ke... Pyaar Hai (2003)
Awards
- A Very Very Silent Film
- Jury Prize for the Best Short Film at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival[3]
- Matruboomi
- FIPRESCI Award in Parallel Section at the Venice Film Festival 2003 [12]
- Audience Award for Best Film at the Kozlin Film Festival 2003, Poland
- Audience Award for Best Foreign Film at Thessaloniki Film Festival, 2003
- Nominated for Golden Alexander (Best Film) at Thessaloniki Film Festival, 2003
- Audience Award for Best Film at River to River. Florence Indian Film Festival, 2003
References
- ^ a b c "Where have all the girls gone?". The Telegraph. May 22, 2005. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050522/asp/look/story_4770841.asp.
- ^ a b "Where women are extinct: Matrubhoomi". Indian Express. Jul 23, 2005. http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=51284.
- ^ a b A Very Very Silent Film: Award IMDB.
- ^ "More Than Chick Flicks". TIME. Sep. 22, 2003. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,488894,00.html.
- ^ "2003 Awards: Venice (Italy, August 27 – September 6, 2003)". FIPRESCI website. http://www.fipresci.org/awards/awards/awards_2003.htm.
- ^ Derek Malcolm (8 September 2003). "Ovation for Emma Thompson as low-budget art wins over hype in Venice". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/sep/08/filmfestivals.filmnews.
- ^ "Indian makes film on post-9/11experience". Associated Press, CNN-IBN. Apr 26, 2006. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/indian-makes-film-on-post911experience/8825-8.html.
- ^ "'Mumbai Cutting' brings curtains on Osian's film fete". The Hindu. July 21, 2008. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200807210342.htm.
- ^ "Shilpa’s New Poses". Indian Express. Jan 09, 2008. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/shilpas-new-poses/259210/.
- ^ "Bajpai to play mountain man". Deccan Chronicle. July 21st, 2010. http://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/bajpai-play-mountain-man-932.
- ^ "One film at a time: Sanjay Singh". The Times of India. Jul 19, 2010. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/One-film-at-a-time-Sanjay-Singh/articleshow/6183507.cms.
- ^ Matrubhoomi Awards IMDB.
External links
Bollywood (Hindi cinema) Directors · Actors · Playback singers · Music Directors · Songs · Bibliography 
Hindi films A–Z — Highest-grossing
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- 1978 births
- Living people
- People from Bihar
- University of Delhi alumni
- Hindi-language film directors
- Indian screenwriters
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