Ashoke Pandit (born 11 May 1966) is an Indian filmmaker.[1][2] He is a Kashmiri Pandit[3] who currently[when?] serves as the president of the Indian Film & Television Directors' Association.[4]

Ashoke Pandit
Born (1966-05-11) 11 May 1966 (age 57)
Occupation(s)Filmmaker, Social activist
SpouseNeerja Pandit

Career edit

Pandit began his career acting in plays while attending Narsee Monjee College, Mumbai. After graduating, he continued directing plays at the college, until he was eventually offered a sponsorship from the Indian People's Theatre Association.[5] Pandit worked as an associate director for Raman Kumar, Kundan Shah, and Manjul Sinha, until rising to his own prominence as the producer and director of the comedy TV series Filmi Chakkar.[5] He would later go on to direct the TV shows Tere Mere Sapne and Colgate Top Ten.[6]

In 1999, he won a Radio and TV Advertising Practitioners' Association of India award for best picture for his documentary Sharnarthi Apne Desh Mein, a 40-minute film detailing the plight of Kashmiri Pandit refugees during 1989-1990.[6] In 2010, he released A Village of Windows, a documentary detailing the hardships of the Kashmiri village of Dardpura.[7]

Most recently, Pandit was a co-producer of the 2019 film The Accidental Prime Minister[8] He serves as the president of the Indian Film & Television Directors' Association, and is the chief advisor of (Federation of Western India Cine Employees).[9]

Controversy edit

He is known for his controversial statement with regard to the complex issue of Palestine i.e. " Nadav Lapid’s selection as the jury head of IFFI53Goa is a major lapse on behalf of I&B ministry. Hence heads of those in the ministry, who are responsible for this crime, should roll. What does one expect from a Palestine sympathiser?! ".[10][11] The context was in relation to the Kashmir conflict being portrayed in the film "The Kashmir Files" by Vivek Agnihotri, whose work has been compared to the works of Leni Reifenstahl.

Filmography edit

Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Title Producer Notes
2019 The Accidental Prime Minister   Yes
2020 The Chargesheet: Innocent or Guilty?   Yes Web series released on ZEE5[12]
2023 72 Hoorain   Yes Upcoming film[13][14]

References edit

  1. ^ "Ashoke Pandit- A born activist - Society".[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Ashok Pandit to take road show for social cause - hindustan times". 10 April 2007.
  3. ^ Pandit, Ashoke [@ashokepandit] (20 June 2014). "At Dadar to observe the "World Refugee Day" As a Kashmiri Pandit I am a Refugee in my own cntry since last 25 yrs" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ "RESULT OF THE ELECTION OF HON. OFFICE BEARERS & EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THE TERM 2018 – 2021". Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  5. ^ a b "'For any successful TV Project 60% of the credit should go to the writer': Ashok Pandit - INDIANtelevision".
  6. ^ a b "A reel story of Kashmiri Pandits".
  7. ^ "The village that Death stalked - times of india". The Times of India. 29 November 2009.
  8. ^ "Ashoke Pandit Twitter".[failed verification]
  9. ^ "FWICE will ban those who insist on working with Pakistani artistes: Ashoke Pandit - ETimes". The Times of India.
  10. ^ "Ashoke Pandit LASHES OUT at IFFI jury head Nadav Lapid, labels filmmaker as 'Palestine sympathiser'". 29 November 2022.
  11. ^ https://twitter.com/ashokepandit/status/1597287869722546176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
  12. ^ "The Chargesheet – Innocent or Guilty: Ashoke Pandit opens up on producing murder mystery". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  13. ^ "72 Hoorain First Look 72 हूरें का पहला लुक जारी आत्मघाती आतंकवादियों पर होगी फिल्म देखें टीजर वीडियो - 72 Hoorain First Look released the film will be on suicide bombers terrorists dark world see teaser video". Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  14. ^ "72 Hoorain After The Kerala Story Another Film on Radical Extremism And Religious Fanaticism". www.india.com. Retrieved 5 June 2023.

External links edit