Shakun Batra: India's Top Film Director on Infusing Realism into Mainstream Films


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Shakun Batra is one of India’s top film writer-directors. By infusing realism and layered storytelling into mainstream Hindi films, Shakun Batra has created a niche for himself in Bollywood. So far, he has co-written and directed two Hindi films. His first film Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu released in 2012. And, his second film, the critically acclaimed and commercially successful Kapoor and Sons arrived in 2016. Over the years, he has received several awards, including the Best Story Award at the 2016 Filmfare Awards. He is regarded for bringing a sense of complexity, sensitivity and realism to Indian stories on film.

In this interview with Harkirat Bhullar, Shakun Batra talks about his early life, interest in photography, attending film school in Vancouver, family's response to making films, moving into film direction, making Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, writing partnership and friendship with Ayesha DeVitre, making Kapoor and Sons, dealing with restlessness and anxiety in the creative business, new film and production ventures. Beyond the radio interview, Batra answered some of these short questions:

Here's the YouTube version of the talk as well: