imported>DaxServer: /* Early life */clean up, typo(s) fixed: Bachelor's degree → bachelor's degree, Master's degree → master's degree

2021-08-13T17:50:34Z

Early life: clean up, typo(s) fixed: Bachelor's degree → bachelor's degree, Master's degree → master's degree

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{{Short description|Indian film actor, director and producer}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
{{family name hatnote|Kukunoor|lang=Telugu}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nagesh Kukunoor
| image = Nagesh Kukunoor.jpg
| caption = Kukunoor at [[Saarang]] 2011, [[IIT Madras]] cultural festival
| birthname = Nagesh Kukunoor Naidu<ref name="name">{{cite AV media|people=Nagesh Kukunoor with Irfan|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAdYLTtqAgk&t=38s|title= Guftagoo with Nagesh Kukunoor|date=27 February 2017|access-date=10 June 2020|language=hi|publisher=[[Rajya Sabha TV]]}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1967|3|30}}
| birth_place = [[Hyderabad]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma mater = {{ubl
| [[Georgia Institute of Technology]]
| Warehouse Actors Theater
| [[Osmania University]]
}}
| occupation = Film director, actor
| spouse =
| website =
}}
'''Nagesh Kukunoor Naidu''' (born 30 March 1967) is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter and actor known for his works predominantly in [[Hindi]] films. He is known for his works in [[parallel cinema]], such as ''[[Hyderabad Blues]]'' (1998), ''[[Rockford (film)|Rockford]]'' (1999), ''[[Iqbal (film)|Iqbal]]'' (2005), ''[[Dor (film)|Dor]]'' (2006), ''[[Aashayein]]'' (2010), ''[[Lakshmi (2014 film)|Lakshmi]]'' (2014), and ''[[Dhanak]]'' (2016). Kukunoor has received seven International Awards, and two [[National Film Awards]] for his works.<ref name="'Dhanak' honoured in Poland">{{cite web|url=http://www.canadastandard.com/index.php/sid/234034207|title='Dhanak' honoured in Poland}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/2015/02_programm_2015/02_Filmdatenblatt_2015_201504112.php#tab=video25|title=- Berlinale - Archive - Annual Archives - 2015 - Programme - Dhanak - Rainbow - Regenbogen}}</ref>

In 2003, he directed ''[[3 Deewarein]]'', which was showcased among the Indian panorama section, at the 2003 [[International Film Festival of India]]. The film was also premiered at the [[Kolkata Film Festival]].<ref name="kolkata_fest">{{cite news|last=Sircar|first=Subhra|title=Desi films draw bigger crowds than foreign films|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/calcutta-times/desi-films-draw-bigger-crowds-than-foreign-films/articleshow/28207005.cms|access-date=22 September 2010|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=14 November 2002}}</ref> After having been screened at the [[Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles]], where it was well received, the film was screened at the Commonwealth Festival at [[Manchester]], it was nominated as one of the top five films, at the gala presentation. Nagesh Kukunoor has also received the [[Filmfare Award for Best Story]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/FrmIP2003Award.aspx?PdfName=IP2003.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=18 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328100714/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/FrmIP2003Award.aspx?PdfName=IP2003.pdf |archive-date=28 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2006, he garnered the [[National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues]], for directing ''[[Iqbal (film)|Iqbal]]''. In 2014, he received the Mercedes Benz Audience Award, for Best Narrative at the [[Palm Springs International Film Festival]] for ''[[Lakshmi (2014 film)|Lakshmi]]''.<ref name="Lakshmi wins Audience Award">{{cite web|title= Lakshmi wins Audience Award|url= http://www.indiawest.com/news/16290--lakshmi-wins-audience-award-at-palm-springs-film-festival.html|publisher= India West|access-date= 2014-01-13|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140119071328/http://www.indiawest.com/news/16290--lakshmi-wins-audience-award-at-palm-springs-film-festival.html|archive-date= 19 January 2014|df= dmy-all}}</ref> In 2015 he directed the [[road movie]], ''[[Dhanak (2015 film)|Dhanak]]'', which won the Crystal Bear Grand Prix for Best Children's Film, and Special Mention for the Best Feature Film by The Children's Jury for Generation Kplus at the [[65th Berlin International Film Festival]]. The film has also garnered the Best Film Award in the main category-Children's Feature Film Competition-[[Cinema in Sneakers (film festival)]], and the Best Film Award - at the Montreal International Children's Film Festival (FIFEM).<ref name="'Dhanak' honoured in Poland"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/2015/02_programm_2015/02_Filmdatenblatt_2015_201504112.php#tab=video25|title=- Berlinale - Archive - Annual Archives - 2015 - Programme - Dhanak - Rainbow - Regenbogen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/small-film-big-win/|title=Small film, big win: Nagesh Kukunoor's 'Dhanak' wins two awards at Berlinale|date=17 February 2015|work=The Indian Express}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.movietalkies.com/news/28133/nagesh-kukunoor%27s-%27dhanak%27-bags-award-at-the-berlin-film-festival|title=Nagesh Kukunoor's 'Dhanak' Bags Award At The Berlin Film Festival|author=Jaidev Hemmady|date=16 February 2015|work=movietalkies|access-date=20 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220144352/http://www.movietalkies.com/news/28133/nagesh-kukunoor%27s-%27dhanak%27-bags-award-at-the-berlin-film-festival|archive-date=20 February 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> The film has garnered the [[National Film Award for Best Children's Film]] for 2016.<ref name="hindustantimes.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/national-film-awards-neerja-best-film-akshay-kumar-best-actor/story-iaAm40wWwvratQSKxQvPUK.html|title=National Film Awards: Neerja best film, Akshay Kumar best actor|date=7 April 2017}}</ref>

==Early life==
Nagesh Kukunoor was born in [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] to Kusuma and Sudarshan. Kukunoor's mother tongue is [[Telugu language|Telugu]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-10|title=Keerthy Suresh completes shooting for Telugu film Good Luck Sakhi|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/keerthy-suresh-completes-shooting-for-telugu-film-good-luck-sakhi/story-ZTT68pThoOnzPzt7vsLDFO.html|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> and as a child he loved watching Telugu, Hindi, and English films in the theatres of his neighbourhood, [[Narayanguda]]. He studied at Montfort School, Yercaud. Nagesh Kukunoor attended Osmania University in Hyderabad, India and received his bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering. He moved to [[Atlanta|Atlanta, Georgia]] in the United States in 1988, and completed his master's degree in Environmental Engineering at [[Georgia Institute of Technology]]. After graduating from Georgia Tech, he went to work as an Environmental Consultant at Trinity Consultants in Texas, then in Atlanta, during which he attended workshops in film. He studied Acting & direction at the Warehouse Actor's Theater in Atlanta.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reachouthyderabad.com/newsmaker/nm93.htm|title=Nagesh Kukunoor – Biography|access-date=6 May 2011}}</ref>

==Film career==
He invested the money he made from his engineering career in USA in producing the 1998 movie ''[[Hyderabad Blues]]''. It is based on a script that he wrote in Atlanta dealing with Indians returning home from the United States of America. He directed and acted in the movie. It had a budget of [[Rupee|Rs.]] 1.7 million (roughly equivalent to US$40,000) and was shot in 17 days. It was perceived by Sanjay Arora, an independent film maker, to be realistic and one of the first movies to use [[Hyderabadi Urdu]] correctly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmmakeronline.com/index.php?p=1_15_My-Inspiration-Directors|title=My Inspiration -Directors » Filmmakeronline.com – Sanjay Arora Independent Filmmaker|access-date=23 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090506193506/http://www.filmmakeronline.com/index.php?p=1_15_My-Inspiration-Directors|archive-date=6 May 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> It became the most successful [[independent film]] in India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/boxoffice/7155/index.html|title=Hyderabad Blues 2 : Box Office India|access-date=23 September 2009}}</ref> The film was featured at Peachtree International Film Festival in [[Atlanta]] and [[Rhode Island]] International Film Festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southdreamz.com/portfolio/nagesh-kukunoor|title=Hyderabad Blues|access-date=6 May 2011}}</ref>

===Later features===
''[[3 Deewarein]]'' (2003) was premiered at the [[Kolkata Film Festival]].<ref name="kolkata_fest"/> In contrast to his earlier work, it had a budget of {{INRConvert|21|m}} and featured established actors including [[Naseeruddin Shah]], [[Juhi Chawla]] and [[Jackie Shroff]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Varghese|first=Nina|title=The White formula for crossover success|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/businessline/2003/08/11/stories/2003081100451400.htm|access-date=22 September 2010|newspaper=[[The Hindu Business Line]]|date=10 August 2003|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121013025233/http://www.hinduonnet.com/businessline/2003/08/11/stories/2003081100451400.htm|archive-date=13 October 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/07/28/stories/2003072800270100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030901013016/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/07/28/stories/2003072800270100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 September 2003 |title=English dreams, Hinglish films...|newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=28 July 2003 |access-date= 8 December 2011}}</ref>

In 2006, Nagesh Kukunoor wrote and directed ''[[Dor (film)|Dor]]'', a drama film featuring [[Ayesha Takia]], [[Gul Panag]] and [[Shreyas Talpade]] as the lead actors. Nagesh also acted in the film, playing businessman Chopra. The film is about two women who come from different backgrounds and how fate brings them together. Meera (Ayesha Takia), a young woman who becomes a widow shortly after marriage, is trapped by tradition. Zeenat (Gul Panag), on the other hand, faces the daunting task of saving the life of her husband, who is on trial for murder. A bahuroopiya (Shreyas Talpade) helps her reach Meera, who holds the "string" to Zeenat's hope. The companionship that develops between Meera and Zeenat results in redemption for both. The film was well received by both the critics and film buffs.

It was, however, his film ''[[Iqbal (film)|Iqbal]]'' featuring [[Shreyas Talpade]] and [[Naseeruddin Shah]], which won him a lot of critical acclaim and recognition for the simple yet heart rending script by Nagesh and the acting by all actors.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/mag/2009/11/08/stories/2009110850220500.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113092729/http://www.hindu.com/mag/2009/11/08/stories/2009110850220500.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=13 November 2009 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Hackneyed themes, new nuances | date=8 November 2009}}</ref>

His next film ''[[8 x 10 Tasveer]]'', an action-thriller featuring [[Akshay Kumar]] in the lead role fared poorly at the box office but was considered to be Nagesh's most self-reflective work to date. "I like to cast characters who are close to me. And this one gets as close to me as possible. I was once an environmental consultant. Akshay plays the part of an environment protection officer," Kukunoor said in an April 2009 interview.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/movies/fullstory.php?id=14878209&cid=2359|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714132648/http://sify.com/movies/fullstory.php?id=14878209&cid=2359|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 July 2012|title=Akshay plays a character close to me: Nagesh Kukunoor - Sify.com |access-date= 8 December 2011 }}</ref>

In 2015, at the [[65th Berlin International Film Festival]], his feature ''[[Dhanak (2015 film)|Dhanak]]'' won The Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the best feature-length film, and received a Special Mention by Children's Jury in Generation Kplus Section.<ref name=berlinale15>{{cite web|title=Awards and Juries in The Generation Section |url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/das_festival/preise_und_juries/preise_generation/index.html|work= Berlin International Film Festival|access-date= February 17, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Nagesh Kukunoor's 'Dhanak' bags honour at Berlin Film Fest |work= The Hindu
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/nagesh-kukunoors-dhanak-bags-honour-at-berlin-film-fest/article6898510.ece|date=February 15, 2015| access-date = 2015-02-17 }}</ref>

==Filmography==
=== Films ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Film
! [[Film director|Director]]
! [[Film producer|Producer]]
! [[Screenwriter]]
! [[Actor]]
! Notes
|-
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1998 || ''[[Hyderabad Blues]]'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} || Debut Feature film ''Audience Award'' for best film at the ''Peachtree Village International Film Festival'' in Atlanta ''Audience Award'' for best film at the ''[[Rhode Island]] Film Festival''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1999 || ''[[Rockford (film)|Rockford]]'' || {{yes}} || || {{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||English Film
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2001 || ''[[Bollywood Calling]]'' || {{yes}} || ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||[[Rome Film Festival]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2003 || ''[[3 Deewarein]]'' ||{{yes}} || ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} || [[Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles]] [[International Film Festival of India]] [[Kolkata Film Festival]] Nominated at ''Commonwealth Film Festival'' of [[Manchester]] [[Filmfare Award for Best Story]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2004 || ''[[Hyderabad Blues 2]]'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}}||{{yes}} || {{yes}} || Nagesh Kukunoor - Nominated for "Best Performance in an Indian English Film" at [[Screen Weekly Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000599/2005 |title=Screen Weekly Awards (2005) |publisher=IMDB.com |access-date=30 Nov 2011}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2005 || ''[[Iqbal (film)|Iqbal]]'' ||{{yes}} || ||{{yes}} || ||[[National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2006 || ''[[Dor (film)|Dor]]'' || {{yes}} || ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival<ref>{{cite news |access-date=2 March 2008 |url=http://www.iaac.us/sixth_film_festival2006/reviews10.htm |title=DOR to be screened at IAAC Film Festival |date=6 October 2006 |work=Glamsham.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032601/http://www.iaac.us/sixth_film_festival2006/reviews10.htm |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Atlanta Indo-American Film Festival<ref>{{cite news |access-date=2 March 2008 |url=http://www.iafs.us/Web/Forms/frmMovieScreenings.aspx |title=IAFF: Event and Screening Locations |work=Atlanta Indo-American Film Festival |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221072507/http://www.iafs.us/Web/Forms/frmMovieScreenings.aspx |archive-date=21 February 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2008 || ''[[Bombay to Bangkok]]'' ||{{yes}}|| ||{{yes}}|| ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2009 || ''[[8 x 10 Tasveer ]]'' ||{{yes}} |||| {{yes}} || ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2010|| ''[[Aashayein]]'' || {{yes}} || ||{{yes}} || ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2011 || ''[[Mod (film)|Mod]]'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} ||{{yes}} || ||
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2014 || ''[[Lakshmi (2014 film)|Lakshmi]]'' || {{yes}}|| {{yes}} ||{{yes}} || {{yes}} || ''Mercedes Benz Audience Award'', for ''Best Narrative'' at the [[Palm Springs International Film Festival]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2016 || ''[[Dhanak]]'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} || ||The Grand Prix, for the best feature-length film, and Special Mention for the Best Feature Film by The Children's Jury for Generation Kplus, [[65th Berlin International Film Festival]] Best Film Award in the main category - Children's Feature Film Competition - at the [[Cinema in Sneakers (film festival)|Cinema in Sneakers Children's Festival in Poland]] Best Film Award - at the Montreal International Children's Film Festival (FIFEM) Indian [[National Film Award for Best Children's Film]]<ref name="'Dhanak' honoured in Poland"/><ref name="hindustantimes.com"/><ref name=berlinale15/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/2015/02_programm_2015/02_Filmdatenblatt_2015_201504112.php#tab=video25|title=- Berlinale - Archive - Annual Archives - 2015 - Programme - Dhanak - Rainbow - Regenbogen}}</ref>
|-
|2020
|''[[Good Luck Sakhi]]''||{{yes}}
| ||{{yes}}
|
|[[Telugu language|Telugu]] Directorial debut<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pecheti|first=AuthorPrakash|title=Nagesh Kukunoor gets candid about fondest memories|url=https://telanganatoday.com/nagesh-kukunoor-gets-candid-about-fondest-memories|access-date=2020-06-09|website=Telangana Today|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Keerthy Suresh's next with Nagesh Kukunoor titled Good Luck Sakhi|url=https://www.msn.com/en-in/entertainment/southcinema/keerthy-sureshs-next-with-nagesh-kukunoor-titled-good-luck-sakhi/ar-AAJsbvl|access-date=2020-06-09|website=www.msn.com}}</ref>
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" width=60%
!scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| Title
!scope="col"| Network
!scope="col"| [[Film director|Director]]
!scope="col"| [[Screenwriter]]
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Mayanagari-City of Dreams ]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scroll.in/article/878681/nagesh-kukunoor-to-direct-web-series-mayanagari-cityofdreams|title=Nagesh Kukunoor to direct web series 'Mayanagari #CityOfDreams'}}</ref>
| [[Hotstar]]
| {{yes}} ||{{yes}}
|}

==Awards==
;[[National Film Awards]]
* [[National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues|Best Film on Other Social Issues]] – ''[[Iqbal (film)|Iqbal]]'' – 2006
* [[National Film Award for Best Children's Film|Best Children's Film]] - ''[[Dhanak]]'' - 2016

;International Awards
* Audience Award for best film at the Peachtree International Film Festival in [[Atlanta, Georgia]] – ''[[Hyderabad Blues]]'' – 1999
* Audience Award for best film at the Rhode Island International Film Festival – ''Hyderabad Blues'' – 1999<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.coe.gatech.edu/content/nagesh-kukunoor-chemical-engineering-bollywood |title=Nagesh Kukunoor, From Chemical Engineering to Bollywood |publisher=[[Georgia Tech College of Engineering]] |access-date=8 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404182500/http://www.coe.gatech.edu/content/nagesh-kukunoor-chemical-engineering-bollywood |archive-date=4 April 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.che.iitb.ac.in/chea/azeotropy2k8/events_nagesh.html |title=Informals... |publisher=[[IIT Bombay|IITB]] |access-date=8 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331180800/http://www.che.iitb.ac.in/chea/azeotropy2k8/events_nagesh.html |archive-date=31 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
* Best Film - Mercedes Benz Audience Award, for Best Narrative at the [[Palm Springs International Film Festival]] - ''[[Lakshmi (2014 film)|Lakshmi]]'' - 2014<ref name="Lakshmi wins Audience Award"/>
* ''[[Dhanak (2015 film)|Dhanak]]'' (2015)
** The Grand Prix, for the best feature-length film - at the [[65th Berlin International Film Festival]]
** Special Mention for the Best Feature Film by The Children's Jury for Generation Kplus at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival
** Best Film Award in the main category-Children's Feature Film Competition-[[Cinema in Sneakers (film festival)]]
** Best Film Award - at the Montreal International Children's Film Festival (FIFEM)<ref name="'Dhanak' honoured in Poland"/><ref name=berlinale15/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/2015/02_programm_2015/02_Filmdatenblatt_2015_201504112.php#tab=video25|title=- Berlinale - Archive - Annual Archives - 2015 - Programme - Dhanak - Rainbow - Regenbogen}}</ref>

;[[Filmfare Awards]]
* [[Filmfare Award for Best Story]] – ''[[3 Deewarein]]'' – 2004

;Other Awards
* Teacher's Achievement Award for Creative and Performing Arts – 2002

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0474398|name=Nagesh Kukunoor}}

{{FilmfareAwardBestStory}}
{{Nagesh Kukunoor}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kukunoor, Nagesh}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Georgia Tech alumni]]
[[Category:Male actors in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:Telugu male actors]]
[[Category:Telugu people]]
[[Category:Hindi-language film directors]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Filmfare Awards winners]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:Hindi film producers]]
[[Category:Film producers from Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Film directors from Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Male actors from Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Directors who won the Best Children's Film National Film Award]]
[[Category:Directors who won the Best Film on Other Social Issues National Film Award]]
[[Category:Telugu film directors]]

Nagesh Kukunoor - Revision history

imported>DaxServer: /* Early life */clean up, typo(s) fixed: Bachelor's degree → bachelor's degree, Master's degree → master's degree