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Rajesh Touchriver

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Rajesh Touchriver
File:Touchriver2.jpg
Born
Rajesh Touchriver
Occupation(s)Director, Producer, Designer, Writer
Years active1997 - Present
Websitehttp://www.rajeshtouchriver.in/

Rajesh Touchriver is one of those multi-faceted and incredibly talented directors whose very first film caught world-wide attention and won several international awards and critical acclaim. He is known to world audience for his debut film “In the name of Buddha” (2002) a bold treatment of the ethnic conflict then raging in Sri Lanka which he rendered at a pitch, with non-partisan candour and maturity that is uncharacteristic of a debut film. Rajesh’s narrative frames, with a unique touch of magic realism, boldly questioned the mindless violence in Sri Lanka and made the world audience sit up, watch and respond. The film had its award-winning world premiere at the Oslo international film festival and made its winning rounds with overwhelming response and reviews in several other film festivals across the globe. Following the success of his debut film, he was led to a significant interface with activism against human trafficking. A deeply moved Rajesh followed his inner voice to contribute to this cause as a film maker. Under the banner of Touchriver Pictures, he has been making several poignant short films and documentaries on human trafficking, HIV/AIDS and communal riots. Through these genres, he considerably supports the media advocacy initiatives of the United Nations and various NGOs, national and international. Besides documentaries and short films, he has by now experimented, with impressive success, with all genres of films -- feature films, music videos, ad films, public service announcements, commercials etc.

His most recent film for the UN, “One Life, No Price” for social sensitization against human trafficking has been widely acclaimed by civil society organizations across the world and is one of its kind in South Asia. Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta and John Abraham appear in the film as spokespersons for the cause. Another recent success is “Anamika, the nameless” that he shot adventurously in the red light areas of India in Mumbai, Kolkatta, Poona and Delhi. The film won the AC award for the Best Director and the Best Documentary Film Award Hyderabad International Film Festival - 2008.The film has been included in the syllabus of National Police Academy and National Judicial Academy. The film has by now reached above 60,00,000 viewers through various NGOs. Rajesh is grateful that the film could dramatically/realistically transform numerous pimps, brokers and madams, make them shun trafficking and join hands in the war against this social evil.

The sacred face , a short film on incest and girl child sexual abuse, sent the audience back home thoroughly unsettled . The film was screened at the Cannes film festival in 2005 and received accolades and commendation from audiences.

Rajesh made the music album “Sunshowers” for Maya Arulpragasam M.I.A (UK). Maya is now known for her “O saya” with A.R Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire which was nominated for the Oscars in 2009. Rajesh looks at the 2 patchy regional features that he made, as a learning experience. He has sharpened his views on the kind of feature films he would like to make. Rajesh draws inspiration from people and believes in making films that can evoke responses, raise questions and send viewers seeking their own answers. He does not believe in creating generic distinctions like commercial/art/crossover cinema and says that there exists just one thing – a good film.

Rajesh’s frames have a rare intensity and a compelling narrative thread. They allow a complete, up close, unmediated engagement between the audience and the characters so much so that his narratives often transcend dialogues and background scores, particularly when he writes the screen-plays himself.

A Charles Wallace Trust Awardee, Rajesh did his Masters in Visual Language / Scenography and Direction from the Wimbledon School of Art, London, UK and is a product of the School of Drama in Kerala where he took his Bachelor’s Degree in Design and Direction. Kathakali, the classical dance of Kerala runs in his veins and he has had early training in Kalaripayattu the martial art of Kerala.

This background instill in all his works, a unique blend of discipline, aesthetics, methodology, originality, accuracy, irreverence for the given and a soulful treatment and presentation of the subject. Besides film making, theatre, classical and traditional art, Rajesh is also a superbly gifted Art Director. He does art direction for films and has by now done art direction for Telugu, Hindi and Hollywood films. The evocative backdrop of the Telugu hit “Manassantha Nuvve” owes it to Rajesh’s art direction.

Rajesh believes that true art – be it in cinema, art direction or theatre -- has a soul of its own, is profoundly human and strikingly original.

Filmography

Feature Films – (Screenplay & Direction)

  • 10-The Strangers (125 mins, Telugu, Hindi, 35 mm anamorphic, 2005)
  • Alex-The Blue Fox (160 mins, Telugu, 35 mm anamorphic, 2005)
  • The Red Terror ( Under production)

Short Films – (Screenplay & Direction)

  • The Sacred Face (13 mins, English, 2006)
  • Pehachan (14 mins, Hindi, 2008)
  • Needalu (Shadows) (14 mins,Telugu, 2009)
  • Main Aur Meri Sachaien (13 mins, Hindi, 2009)

Documentaries – (Screenplay, Direction, Cinematography)

  • Of Freedom and Fear - (30 mins, English/Telugu, DV, 2003)
  • Bhagnagar - (15 mins, Hindi, DV, 2003)
  • Agni - (34 mins, Hindi, DV, 2004)
  • Shanti Ki Aur - (30 mins, Hindi, DV, 2004)
  • A Chance to Live - (30 mins, English, DV, 2004)
  • Dahan - (34 mins, Hindi, DV, 2004)
  • Astha-An Ode to Life - (26 mins, English, DV, 2004)
  • Me and Us - (24 mins, English, DV, 2004)
  • Building Bridges - (11 mins, English, DV, 2004)
  • Anamika - The Nameless - (26 mins, English/Hindi/Telugu,Oriya,Kannada, DV, 2005
  • The Man, His Mission - (11 mins, English, DV, 2006)
  • Aparajitha - (26 mins, English, DV, 2006)
  • One Life No Price - (9 mins, English, HD, 2007)
  • Synergy in Action - (20 mins , English, HD, 2007)

Music Videos – (Screenplay, Direction)

  • Sunshowers for M.I.A. XL Recording, London , UK (3 mins, English, Super 16 mm, 2004)
  • Hire Fire for Prajwala (music album containing six 4 mins songs against human trafficking, Hindi/Telugu, DV, 2004)

Commercials – (Direction)

  • Ente Malayalam - 50 yrs celebration of kerala formation (2 mins, Malayalam, 35 mm, 2006)
  • Whose Child ? - (30 secs, Telugu, DV, 2004)
  • Why? - (30 secs, Telugu, DV, 2004)
  • Reach Out - (30 secs, Telugu, DV, 2004)

Feature Films – (Production Design

  • Quicksand - (English, 35mm, 2001)
  • Student # 1 - (Telugu, 35mm, 2002)
  • Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu - (Telugu, 35mm, 2002)
  • Manasantha Nuvve - (Telugu, 35mm, 2001)
  • Iddaru Mitralu - (Telugu, 35mm, 1999)
  • Kalisundaam Raa - (Telugu, 35mm, 1999)

AWARDS

He was also awarded

1, The Charles Wallace India Trust Award.- 2001

2, Best foreign film Award Beverly Hills International Film Festival- 2003

3, Best Film Award New port Beach International Film Festival - 2003

4, Best Film Award Wine country International Film Festival- 2003

5, Best Foreign Documentary film Award Action Cut International Film Festival 2006

6, Best Editing Award Festival De Cine De Granada - 2007

7, Best Documentary Film Award Hyderabad International Film Festival - 2008

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