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{{short description|Indian filmmaker (born 1990)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| image = Siddharth-Chauhan-1.jpg
| caption = Siddharth at the [[International Film Festival of Kerala]]
| occupation = Screenwriter, director and producer
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1990|09|24}}
| birth_place = Renuka, Sirmaur
| years_active = 2013–present
| website = {{url|https://siddharthchauhan-com.webnode.com/}}
}}
'''Siddharth Chauhan''' is an Indian [[independent filmmaker]] based out of [[Shimla]], Himachal Pradesh, India.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://www.iffk.in/idsffk/idsffk_2016.php |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2016-06-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810135535/http://www.iffk.in/idsffk/idsffk_2016.php |archivedate=10 August 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="auto1">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160810150200/http://www.iffk.in/idsffk/images/2016/idsffkawards_2016.pdf]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://hillpost.in/2013/09/shimla-talent-sidharth-takes-to-films/95946/ |title=Shimla talent Sidharth takes to films | Hill Post |publisher=Hillpost.in |date=2013-09-06 |accessdate=2015-06-20}}</ref> He was awarded the "Youth Achiever" award by [[Hindustan Times]] Group in August 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Beyond Clichés, Shattering stereotypes|url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/beyond-cliches-shattering-stereotypes/story-KC65AnNQiAk4alqUkOy1GL.html|newspaper=Hindustan Times |accessdate = 2015-12-21}}</ref> Chauhan has not received any professional training in this field. His films have been screened across places including Sarajevo, UK, US, Belarus, Indonesia, New Zealand, Italy, China, Canada and France.<ref name="himachalwatcher.com">{{cite web|url=https://himachalwatcher.com/2015/11/30/shimla-based-young-filmmakers-short-film-selected-for-paris-film-festival-2015/|title=Shimla-based young filmmaker’s short film selected for Paris Film Festival 2015|website=Himachalwatcher.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref> He is the youngest and the first independent filmmaker from Himachal Pradesh to have continuously taken his locally produced films outside India.<ref name="himachalwatcher.com"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hookedupon.com/rendezvous-with-siddharth-chauhan/|title=Rendezvous with Youth Achiever Award Winner Siddharth Chauhan|date=11 February 2016|website=Hookedupon.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref>

==Career==

===Boys Don't Wear Nailpolish!===
His docu-fiction, ''Boys Don't Wear Nailpolish!'', based on a sensitive gender issue, was awarded the Golden Halo Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/chunk-ht-ui-punjabsectionpage-dontmiss/shimla-boy-bags-award-at-international-short-film-festival/article1-1187776.aspx |title=Shimla boy bags award at international short film festival |publisher=Hindustantimes.com |date=2014-02-24 |accessdate=2015-06-20}}</ref> The film was screened at several other film festivals in India and abroad, including [[Mumbai International Queer Film Festival]] and [[ViBGYOR Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vibgyorfilm.org/film-schedule.php |title=ViBGYOR | Film Festival |publisher=Vibgyorfilm.org |date= |accessdate=2015-06-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mumbaiqueerfest.com/kashish2014/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=66&Itemid=203 |title=List of Films Playing at KASHISH 2014 - KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival |publisher=Mumbaiqueerfest.com |date= |accessdate=2015-06-20}}</ref> The [[Carolina Theatre (Durham)|Carolina Theatre]] group in the United States also invited the film for a screening in October, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paharicinema.com/breaking-mindset-standard-indians-boys-dont-wear-nailpolish/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806163922/http://www.paharicinema.com/breaking-mindset-standard-indians-boys-dont-wear-nailpolish/|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 August 2016|title=Breaking the Mindset Of Standard Indians "Boys Don't Wear Nailpolish" - Pahari Cinema|date=9 May 2016|website=Paharicinema.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.carolinatheatre.org/films/conjunctions |title=Conjunctions |website=[[Carolina Theatre (Durham)|Carolina Theatre]] |location=[[Durham, North Carolina]] |accessdate=April 5, 2020}}</ref>

===The Infinite Space===
Siddharth's next independent production, the musical drama ''The Infinite Space'', is a story of a young Buddhist monk who accidentally discovers the secret to infinity. The film featured music of the well known Grammy Award nominee, Tibetan flute player [[Nawang Khechog]], and had its local premiere at the [[Mall Road, Shimla#Gaiety Theater|Gaiety Theatre]], Shimla. The film was selected to compete at the IDSFFK 2015 [[International Film Festival of Kerala]] and was also selected by the University of Manchester UK for their Insight Film Curation scheme 2015.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.keekli.in/?p=11770 |title=Vision by Lense – Boys Don't Wear Nailpolish | Keekli |website=Keekli.in |date=2015-06-06 |accessdate=2015-06-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/events/729166927191984/ |title=FILM SCREENING: "The Infinite Space - PREMIERE" + "Boys Don't Wear Nailpolish!" |publisher=Facebook.com |date= |accessdate=2015-06-20}}</ref>

===Papa===
His next short film, ''PaPa'', premiered at the IDSFFK 2016 [[International Film Festival of Kerala]], where it won the Best Short Fiction Award. His filmmaking style has been compared with the [[avant garde]] filmmaking movement, as seen in ''PaPa'', which received the Best Film Award "for its innovation in narrative gesture and wicked understanding of human behaviour."<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.himachalwonders.in/talent-of-himachal/young-and-talented-siddharth-chauhan-filmmaker-from-shimla/|title=Young and Talented Siddharth filmmaker Shimla - Himachal Wonders|website=Himachalwonders.in|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref> The film later also won the Satyajit Ray Award for the Best Film at the [[London Indian Film Festival]] 2017 " for its mature storytelling which balances a realistic sense of frustration and claustrophobia, with a finely nuanced thread of subtle and deadpan humor. - Jury, LIFF”.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://epaper.thestatesman.com/1264230/DELHI-EARLY-EDITION/01-07-17#page/4/2|title=The Statesman Northern Edition |website==Epaper.thestatesman.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/a-billion-colour-story-wins-top-prize-london-indian-film-festival-1202484465/%7D%7D|title=Variety|website=Variety|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bollyspice.com/ashutosh-gowariker-honored-and-a-billion-colour-story-wins-audience-award-at-london-indian-film-festival/|title=Ashutosh Gowariker Honored and A Billion Colour Story Wins Audience Award at London Indian Film Festival|date=1 July 2017|website=Bollyspice.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref> In praise of the film and the filmmaker, Rediff remarked "The haunting play of light through long corridors, shots that stay and expressions that hold are clearly the work of a filmmaker who knows his art."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/he-wants-to-celebrate-the-uniqueness-of-india/20170809.htm/|title=He wants to celebrate the uniqueness of India|website=Rediff.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref>

===Pashi===
His next film, ''Pashi'' premiered at the Oscar Qualifying [[Rhode Island International Film Festival]] in US. It was the only Indian short film selected in that competition in 2017. It then traveled to China and recently to Italy at the [[Rome Independent Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/short-film-pashi-from-shimla-makes-the-cut-for-oscar-qualifying-festival/story-v0n65maulrzGcsJrhQCfdL.html|title=Short film ‘Pashi’ from Shimla makes the cut for Oscar qualifying festival|date=28 July 2017|website=Hindustantimes.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/young-shimla-film-marker-makes-it-to-oscar-qualifying-film-festival-4770196/|title=Young Shimla filmmaker makes it to Oscar Qualifying Film Festival|date=27 July 2017|website=Indianexpress.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/shqff/photos/a.409980702727365.1073741828.399988217059947/523979997994101/?type=3&theater/|title=上海酷儿影展 Shanghai Queer Film Festival|website=Facebook.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riff.it/en/scheda-film/?id=13337/|title=Scheda Film - RIFF|website=Riff.it|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cityairnews.com/content/5-award-nominations-himachali-film-world-music-independent-film-festival-washington-dc-usaa/|title=5 AWARD NOMINATIONS for Himachali film at the World Music & Independent Film Festival in Washington DC, USAa - City Air News|website=Cityairnews.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref> ''Pashi'' was awarded Best Cinematography Award at Marietta International Film Festival in Georgia.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.marietta-film-festival.org/awards/ |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2017-12-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009184946/http://www.marietta-film-festival.org/awards/ |archivedate=9 October 2017 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://himachalwatcher.com/2017/09/12/pahari-short-film-pashi-wins-best-cinematography-award-at-marietta-film-festival-in-usa/|title=Pahari short-film Pashi wins best Cinematography award at Marietta Film Festival in Georgia|website=Himachalwatcher.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref> Recently the film was showcased at a Film Festival in Chile, South America where it received two Awards and two Honorable Mentions: Best Short Film Award (lgbt), Audience Choice Award (2nd position), Honorable Mention for Siddharth Chauhan for the Best Director (Short Film) and Honorable Mention for Chetan Kanwar for Best Young Actor (Short Film).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://scafafest.wixsite.com/sfaaf/winners3/|title=sfaaf|website=Scafafest.wixsite.com|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://hillpost.in/2017/12/pashi-a-himachali-film-wins-awards-at-chile-film-festival/109904/|title=Pashi, A Himachali Film Wins Awards At Chile Film Festival - Hill Post|website=hillpost.in|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref>[https://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pashi-wins-best-short-film-award-at-sfaaf/1/1113909.html/] {{dead link|date=January 2018}}</ref> The film was then showcased at the [[World Music & Independent Film Festival]], WMIFF, Washington DC, where ''Pashi'' has received nominations in five categories: Best Actor (Chetan Kanwar), Best Supporting Actor (John Negi), Best Director (Siddharth Chauhan), Best Screenplay (Siddharth Chauhan) and Best Cinematography (Siddharth Chauhan & Yashwant Kumar Sharma).<ref>[https://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/five-nods-for-himachali-short-film-pashi-at-wmiff-2018/1/1112186.html/] {{dead link|date=January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wmiff.net/nominees/|title=World Music & Independent Film Festival|website=World Music & Independent Film Festival|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20171227123642/http://www.thestatesman.com/cities/himachali-film-pashi-nominated-five-awards-us-film-festival-1502546801.html]</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/five-nods-for-himachali-short-film-pashi-at-wmiff-2018-117121700512_1.html/|title=Five nods for Himachali short film 'Pashi' at WMIFF 2018|agency=Press Trust of India|date=17 December 2017|accessdate=18 January 2018|newspaper=[[Business Standard]]}}</ref> Siddharth won the Best Director Award for 'Pashi' at WMIFF 2018.<ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/local-director-gets-intl-award-for-pashi/539220.html]</ref><ref>[https://www.thestatesman.com/entertainment/shimla-youth-wins-best-director-award-short-film-usa-1502580062.html]</ref>

The film was later selected for the [[Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles]]. The festival team wrote the following review for the film : "Immersing us into a startling world of raw emotion and fierce imagination, this gripping exploration of lust and its precarious impulses reveals a bold and razor sharp emerging storyteller."<ref>[http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/the-16th-annual-indian-film-festival-of-los-angeles-announces-lineup-and-gala-screenings/]</ref> [[Firstpost]] reviewed the film and called it "An ambitious dramatic production. From its runtime to its themes and the many storytelling risks it takes, the film is edifying in more ways than one...".

Pashi was also competing at the [[KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival]] 2018, where it received the Q Drishti Film Grant sponsored by Lotus Visual and lead actor Chetan Kanwar received the Best Actor Award for his performance in the film.<ref>http://gaysifamily.com/2018/06/06/kashish-2018-closing-ceremony/</ref> The jury cited the following words in praise of the film and Chetan's performance in the film. "Set in a picturesque, quaint town in Himachal Pradesh with quirky characters. Pashi explores love, lies, sexuality, desire, betrayal through the journey of a teenage boy. This unhurried short film keeps one fully engrossed as harsh truths of its principle characters are revealed in an otherwise calm setting. It is much more than just a pashi (bird trap).". “A seamless, brave and authentic act by the young Chetan Kanwar. His character’s journey of discovery, of turmoil – both within and outside – is portrayed with fearless truth and endearing innocence.”.<ref>http://mumbaiqueerfest.com/2018/05/mater-best-narrative-film-ajay-wins-best-indian-short-pashi-qdrishti-winner-kashish-2018/</ref>

Kirk Fernwood from [[One Film Fan]] called it 'Devastatingly Heartbreaking', and stated that "Pashi is a great example of the current state of Asian cinema in its quality, heart, willingness to tackle a highly controversial subject matter, and being a further portrait to present the ever-growing fact that independent film is here, here to stay, and deserving of much higher recognition.<ref>https://onefilmfan.com/india-south-asian-independent-short-film-review-pashi/</ref> [[Indie Shorts Magazine]] wrote a review stating that "Pashi is the naked truth of relationships, of fantasies and dreams and of life in itself and its superlative experiences that alter the journey for those who have lived it.", "Everything is subtle in ‘Pashi’ and yet the story essentially is gripping, moving and unsettling even...Chauhan brings out the rawness of his characters with stellar performances" and called it - "India's Finest Short Film".<ref>https://www.indieshortsmag.com/reviews/2018/08/selected-at-oscar-qualifying-festival-pashi-is-indias-finest-2018-short-film/</ref><ref>https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/pashi-movie-review-seemingly-gentle-story-of-love-and-desire-that-grows-increasingly-complex-4455313.html</ref>

===The Flying Trunk===
The Flying Trunk had its world premiere at the [[Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles]] 2020 which called it a "multi-generational tale about loss and memory where Siddharth soulfully explores the distinct mental spaces his characters inhabit, as each tries to cope with the loneliness, hardship and beauty of their remote existence. Evocatively photographed amidst an expansive landscape, the film artfully captures what legends are made of..."<ref>https://www.indianfilmfestival.org/films/the-flying-trunk/</ref> [[UK Film Review]] called it "a masterpiece", "a remarkable film" and added that it is "a fascinating exploration of grief, and the myths and stories we tell ourselves to help keep ourselves sane."<ref>https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/post/the-flying-trunk-short-film-review</ref>

==Filmography==
* ''Boys Don't Wear Nailpolish!'' (short film, 2014)
* ''The Infinite Space'' (short film, 2015)
* ''PaPa'' (short film, 2016)
* ''Pashi'' (short film, 2018)
* ''Catch the Light'' (short film, 2019)
* ''The Flying Trunk'' (short film 2020)
* ''Amar Colony'' (feature film, 2021)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chauhan, Siddharth}}
[[Category:1990 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Shimla]]
[[Category:Artists from Himachal Pradesh]]

Siddharth Chauhan - Revision history

>SdkbBot: removed erroneous space