Manish Jha

Manish Jha (born May 3, 1978) is an Indian film director and screenwriter, most known for his films, A Very Very Silent Film (2001) and Matrubhoomi-A Nation Without Women (2003) which won him critical acclaim.

Early life and education
Born in Narkatiaganj, in West Champaran district of Bihar, Jha grew up in Delhi where he had moved at an early age. He did his gradutaion in English from Ramjas College, Delhi University, where he also joined its theatre group aiming to become an actor.

Career
After completing his studies, Jha moved to Mumbai and began working as an assistant director in television serials hoping to get a break. When the break never came, to made a five-minute documentary on the homeless putting in Rs 30,000, A Very Very Silent Film, which won the Jury Prize for the Best Short Film at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Thereafter he made his feature debut with Matrubhoomi (2003) about effects of female infanticide, which won a series of awards and critical acclaim. At the 2003 Venice Film Festival, it was presented in the Critic's Week (Parallel section) and later awarded the FIPRESCI Award "For it's important theme on women's issues and female infanticide handled with sensitivity by a first-time director".

His next was Anwar (2007), a film set in Lucknow, about stereotyping of Muslims in the post 9/11 era, the film was inspired his own experience in New York when according to him, two day after the 9/11 while walking on the road, he was detained by the police and interrogated for five hours, since he was unshaven and had long hairs and looked like a Muslim man. In 2008, he directed the segment title, "And it Rained" in anthology film, with 11 directors, Mumbai Cutting, which became the closing film of 10th Osian's Cinefan Festival in Delhi.

He next directed a two-hour yoga DVD, Shilpa’s Yoga (2008) for actress Shilpa Shetty, shot against the coastal backdrop of Kerala.

His upcoming project, Manjhi was announced in July 2010, is based on the real life story of Dashrath Manjhi also known as "Mountain Man" in a town in Bihar, who over a period of 22 year single-handedly to carve out a path through an entire mountain, the film is produced by Sanjay Singh, who previously produced Udaan (2010) and Manoj Bajpai is slated to play the lead, while the script remains under development.

Personal life
Growing up he always wanted was to keep his hair long and act, though when tried enter the theatre group at Delhi’s Ramjas College, he was asked to first cut off his long hair.

Filmography

 * Director
 * A Very Very Silent Film (2001) (short)
 * Matrubhoomi (2005)
 * Anwar (2007)
 * Mumbai Cutting (segment "And It Rained") (2010)
 * Screenwriter
 * Matrubhoomi (2005)
 * Anwar (2007)

Awards

 * A Very Very Silent Film
 * Jury Prize for the Best Short Film at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival
 * Matruboomi
 * FIPRESCI Award in Parallel Section at the Venice Film Festival 2003
 * Audience Award for Best Film at the Kozlin Film Festival 2003, Poland
 * Audience Award for Best Foreign Film at Thessaloniki Film Festival, 2003
 * Nominated for Golden Alexander (Best Film) at Thessaloniki Film Festival, 2003
 * Audience Award for Best Film at River to River. Florence Indian Film Festival, 2003