AndersonMcFarlan: Biography

2026-04-16T22:56:38Z

Biography

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{{Short description|Indian filmmaker}}
{{notability|Bio|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Roopa Rao
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| birth_place = [[Bangalore]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
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| education = Asian Academy of Film & Television
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| occupation = Filmmaker
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| known_for = ''[[The Other Love Story]]'' ''[[Gantumoote]]''
| awards =
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'''Roopa Rao''' (born May 18) is an independent Indian film-maker from [[Bangalore]]. She is the writer and director of India's first [[Same-sex relationship|same-sex]] love story [[Web television|web series]], ''[[The Other Love Story]]'' (2016). Rao is also known for directing critically acclaimed award-winning Kannada film ''[[Gantumoote]]'' (2019).

==Early life==

Rao began writing at an early age. She had written the story of two young women falling in love while in college but did not pursue it further due to concerns about the reception of its story-line, as same-sex love between women was a taboo subject in India.<ref name="indiatimes">{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/Bengaluru-made-lesbian-web-series-gets-highest-nominations-at-NYC-Web-Fest/articleshow/54919419.cms|title=Bengaluru-made lesbian web series gets highest nominations at NYC Web Fest|website=Times of India|date=24 January 2017 |accessdate=2017-01-24}}</ref>

== Career ==
Rao completed a Masters in Commerce with Personnel Management as a specialization and discontinued Masters in Finance. She worked at Infosys for six years.<ref name="LI">{{cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/roopa-rao-a6414852/|website=LinkedIn|title=Roopa Rao}} {{better source needed|date=May 2019}}</ref> She later resigned her position to pursue a career in filmmaking. She completed a course in film direction and production from Asian Academy of Film and Television, Delhi. After this, she moved to London, UK to assist a documentary filmmaker.<ref name="theweek">{{cite web|url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/roopa-rao.html|website=theweek.in|title=Redefining love|accessdate=2016-12-25}}</ref>

Rao returned to India, where she created documentaries and short films. She co-directed ''[[Vishnuvardhana (film)|Vishnuvardhana]]'', a Kannada feature film, and ''Kurai Ondrum Illai'', an independent Tamil feature film.

In 2015, she began to work on her own project, ''[[The Other Love Story]],''<ref name="LI" /> building on her early writing. Since the central theme of the story is a taboo topic in India, she had difficulties finding producers for her project and turned to Wishberry, a crowd funding platform to raise an amount of Rs 4 lakh.

Rao has won "Best Director" award at NYC Web Fest 2016 and "Best Story" award at TO Web Fest 2017. ''[[The Other Love Story]]'' has a total of 3 wins and 7 nominations from various National and International Film Festivals.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6260466/awards?ref_=tt_awd |title=Roopa Rao Awards |website=IMDb}} {{unreliable source?|date=May 2019}}</ref>

In 2017, Rao wrote and directed ''BFF (Breath Friend Forever),'' a short film where a 7-year-old, after learning about trees in class, tries to understand their importance. The film was an official selection in Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and was screened at Ireland National Film Body's Kids' Section.

In 2018, ''Astu Studios'' released a travel short film, ''Love Leh'tter,'' starring Rao, written and directed by Surya Vasishta.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.astustudios.com/love-lehtter/|title=Love Leh'tter|website=Astu Studios}}</ref> Rao co-founded an independent production house, Ameyukti Studios, with a friend in 2018.

In 2019, Rao's first feature film, ''[[Gantumoote]]'' had its world premiere at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), where it won the "Best Screenplay" award.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-10 |title=Raghavendra Chitravani Awards Archives |url=https://www.cinisuddi.com/tag/raghavendra-chitravani-awards/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Cini Suddi |language=en-US}}</ref> The film is a coming of age, high school drama set in Bangalore in the 1990s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-02 |title=Critics' Choice Film Awards 2020: Complete nominations list |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/critics-choice-film-awards-2020-complete-nominations-list-6295588/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=upmyb |title=SIIMA {{!}} South India International Movie Awards |url=https://siima.upmyb.com/index.php |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=siima.upmyb.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Shethepeople.tv">{{cite web |title=The Silver Screen Always Seemed More Real To Me: Roopa Rao |url=https://www.shethepeople.tv/news/director-gantumoote-roopa-rao-interview |accessdate=2019-04-29 |website=She the People}}</ref>

In 2024, ''Kenda'', the Kannada feature film, was released, produced by Rao's production house, Ameyukti Studios. The film was directed by her long-time associate Sahadev Kelvadi.<ref>{{Cite news |last=M.V |first=Vivek |date=2024-07-20 |title=Roopa Rao on producing 'Kenda': The film is a lovely political satire and a relatable drama |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/roopa-rao-on-producing-kenda-the-film-is-a-lovely-political-satire-and-a-relatable-drama/article68417680.ece |access-date=2024-07-25 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The movie was written and directed by Kelvadi, and it is Rao's third project as producer under Ameyukti Studios.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Anandraj |first=Shilpa |date=2024-05-21 |title=Roopa Rao on Sahadev Kelvadi winning the Dada Saheb Phalke Best Director Award for the Kannada film Kenda: 'I am thrilled about the win' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/roopa-rao-on-sahadev-kelvadi-winning-the-dada-saheb-phalke-best-director-award-for-the-kannada-film-kenda-i-am-thrilled-about-the-win/article68162690.ece |access-date=2024-07-25 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

In 2025, Rao announced a new featurette film, ''Asmin,'' was planned for release on her YouTube Channel in the last week of January.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpmSI9YAX4s | title=ASMIN Official Teaser | Teju Belawadi | Shweta Gupta | Roopa Rao | Ameyukti Studios | website=[[YouTube]] | date=29 December 2024 }}</ref> It premiered January 27th, 2025. The film won awards at the Indo French International Festival.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roopa Rao's next explores complicated human emotions |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/roopa-raos-next-explores-complicated-human-emotions-1190097.html |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Film
! Director
! Writer
! Producer
! Language(s)
! Notes
|-
| 2009 ||''Let Live'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} || English- Hindi || Short Documentary; Also Editor
|-
|2011 ||''Hot Seat'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||{{no}} || Kannada || Short Film
|-
| 2014 ||''The Night of all Nights'' ||{{no}} ||{{no}} ||{{yes|Line Producer}} || German || Documentary Feature length
|-
| 2015 ||''The Century Of Women'' ||{{no}} ||{{no}} ||{{yes|Line Producer}} || German || Documentary Feature length
|-
| 2016 ||''[[The Other Love Story|The 'Other' Love Story]]'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} || English Hindi Kannada || Web series
|-
| 2017 ||''BFF (Breath Friend Forever)'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||English || Short Film
|-
| 2018 ||''Love Leh'tter'' ||{{no}} ||{{no}} ||{{no}} ||Kannada || Short Film; Actor
|-
| 2019 ||''[[Gantumoote]]''||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} || Kannada || Debut feature film
|-
| 2020 ||''Silent Passage (Pandemic Tales)'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||{{no}} ||English ||Short Film
|-
| 2020 ||''Year of Silence (for Arte TV)'' ||{{no}} ||{{no}} ||{{yes|Line Producer}} ||German English ||Television Series
|-
| 2021 ||''Naked (For Arte TV Series)'' ||{{no}} ||{{no}} ||{{yes|Line Producer}} ||German English ||Television Series
|-
| 2024 ||''[[Kenda (film)|Kenda]]'' ||{{no}} ||{{no}} ||{{yes}} ||Kannada || Feature Film
|-
| 2024 ||''Coromandel Coast (For Arte TV Series)'' ||{{Yes}} ||{{Yes}} ||{{yes|Line Producer}} ||German English ||Television Series
|-
| 2025 ||''Asmin'' ||{{Yes}} ||{{Yes}} ||{{yes}} ||Kannada English ||Mini-Feature Film
|}

; As Associated Director
* ''[[Vishnuvardhana (film)|Vishnuvardhana]]'' - 2011 Kannada
*''[[Kurai Ondrum Illai]]'' - 2013 Tamil<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patil |first=Rashmi |date=2019-06-26 |title=Why Kannada film Gantumoote should be on your must-watch list |url=https://www.edexlive.com/news/2019/Jun/26/ganutmoote-a-kannada-feature-film-is-going-places-and-winning-awards-on-the-international-platforms-6772.html |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=EdexLive |language=en}}</ref>

==Awards==

* 2016: New York Web Fest Award for Best Direction: ''[[The Other Love Story]]'' (2016)
* 2017: TO Web Fest Award for Best LGBTQ Story: ''[[The Other Love Story]]'' (2016)
*2017: Boston LGBTQ Film Festival Award for Best International Web Series: ''[[The Other Love Story]]''(2016)
* 2016: New York Web Fest Nomination for Outstanding Writing: ''[[The Other Love Story]]'' (2016)
* 2016: New York Web Fest Nomination for Best Webseries: ''[[The Other Love Story]]'' (2016)
* 2017: Vancouver Web Festival Award for Best Drama: ''[[The Other Love Story]]'' (2016)
* 2016: Miami Short Film Festival Semi Finalist: ''[[The Other Love Story]]'' (2016)
* 2019: New York Indian Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay: ''[[Gantumoote]]'' (2019)
*2020: Critics Choice Film Awards Nomination for Best Director:''[[Gantumoote]]'' (2019)
*2020: Critics Choice Film Awards Nomination for Best Film:''[[Gantumoote]]'' (2019)
*2020: Critics Choice Film Awards Nomination for Best Writing:''[[Gantumoote]]'' (2019)
*2020: Critics Choice Film Awards Nomination for Best Director:''[[Gantumoote]]'' (2019)
*2020: Karnataka Film Critics Awards Nomination for Best Director:''[[Gantumoote]]'' (2019)
*2020: Karnataka Film Critics Awards Nomination for Best Writer:''[[Gantumoote]]'' (2019)
*2020: Karnataka Film Critics Awards Nomination for Best Film:''[[Gantumoote]]'' (2019)
*2020: Raghavendra Chitravani Award for Best Debudant Director:''[[Gantumoote]]'' (2019)
*2021: SIIMA Awards Nomination for Best Debudant Director:''[[Gantumoote]]''(2019)
*2023: Indo French International Film Festival for Best Indian Short Film:''[[Asmin]]''(2023)
*2023: Indo French International Film Festival for Best Director Critics Choice:''[[Asmin]]''(2023)

==See also==
* [[List of female film and television directors]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|8593411}}
* {{YouTube|channel=UCADkG--NFvPK_rVEf9Xn-pw}}
* [https://pandolin.com/the-other-love-story-has-universal-appeal-roopa-rao/ Interview] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042806/https://pandolin.com/the-other-love-story-has-universal-appeal-roopa-rao/ |date=1 December 2017 }} on pandolin.com
* [https://www.shethepeople.tv/news/director-gantumoote-roopa-rao-interview/ Interview] on shethepeople.tv

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Roopa}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Web series directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Bengaluru]]
[[Category:Indian women film directors]]
[[Category:Kannada film directors]]
[[Category:Indian women filmmakers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women artists]]
[[Category:1981 births]]

Roopa Rao - Revision history

AndersonMcFarlan: Biography