What does it take to shape a filmmaker? How do you 'make' a Jaya Bachchan or a Mani Kaul?
Radha Chadha's new book The Maker of Filmmakers: How Jagat Murari and FTII Changed Indian Cinema Forever takes us through the life and legacy of her father Jagat Murari, and the iconic film school he built. With uncanny consistency, FTII produced top talent: Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Subhash Ghai, Shatrughan Sinha, Girish Kasaravalli, Mani Kaul, and many other cinema legends. His alumni became the big names of Bollywood, spearheaded the Indian New Wave, kickstarted regional language cinema, and helped usher television into the country.
It's this extraordinary creative legacy that leads to the book's tantalizing question: Did Jagat Murari have a secret formula? In conversation with author Radha Chadha, and Festival Director Aseem Chhabra, this session will delve into how Jagat Murari and FTII shaped generations of filmmakers – and how their work transformed Indian cinema into the global powerhouse it is today.
The session will include a montage of student film clips of iconic FTII alumni, like Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Subhash Ghai, Mani Kaul, and others. A Q&A with the audience will be followed by book sales and book signings by the author.
‘FTII, under Jagat Murari’s leadership, was a haven for those of us who lived and breathed the art of cinema. This book is a portrait of that pivotal time, when India’s cinematic legacy was transformed.’
—SHABANA AZMI , acclaimed actress and winner of five National Awards
‘Mr Murari at FTII fostered purpose, discipline and artistic growth and we were fortunate to study under his tutelage and guidance. His recommendation to Mr Hrishikesh Mukherjee launched my film career, for which I am eternally grateful.’
—JAYA BACHCHAN, renowned actress and member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
‘Jagat Murari was the pioneer of the new wave cinema in India, which turned regional cinema into national cinema, to represent India all over the world in film festivals’
—GULZAR, legendary lyricist, poet and award-winning filmmaker
‘In less than a decade, the presence of trained personnel quietly permeated the system—in terms of technique as well as artistry. And it was no surprise that year after year all the major National Awards were won by Film Institute graduates. Behind this unique achievement, Prof. Jagat Murari’s single-minded endeavour and devotion to the cause needs to be acknowledged with gratitude’
—ADOOR GOPALAKRISHNAN, iconic filmmaker and winner of seventeen National Awards
Radha Chadha is an author, columnist and one of Asia’s foremost experts on marketing and consumer insights. Her book The Cult of the Luxury Brand: Inside Asia’s Love Affair with Luxury was a bestseller, and is the go-to book for understanding luxury in Asia. After two decades at top advertising agencies—Ogilvy, JWT, Grey and Bates Asia—she founded her own brand consultancy in Hong Kong. For over a decade, Radha also wrote a widely read column for Mint, one of India’s leading business newspapers. She holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and a BA from St Stephen’s College, Delhi. She now lives in Dubai.
Radha grew up on the campus of the Film and Television Institute of India, where her father, Jagat Murari, shaped a generation of filmmakers. Her latest book, The Maker of Filmmakers: How Jagat Murari and FTII Changed Indian Cinema Forever, is a portrait of that pivotal time, when India’s cinematic legacy was transformed.
The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) is the oldest, most prestigious film festival screening premieres of feature, documentary and
short films made from, of, and about the Indian subcontinent in the Independent, arthouse, alternate and diaspora genres.
