Career
Anupam Sharma [6] was involved with a series of film and theatre projects in Sydney until he met Feroz Khan in 1998. [7] In 2000, he founded Films and Casting Temple, a film production, casting and consulting company based at Fox Studios, Sydney. Over 25 years, the company has been involved in over 410 film, television, advertising and other screeen sector related projects across India and Australia. [8] [9] With the support of Ausfilm, state agencies and companies such as Atlab (now Deluxe), Cutting Edge and The Post Lounge, he started seminars in India, to inform filmmakers about how to use Australian locations and production services in their films. [10]
The Australia-India Film, Arts, Media, and Entertainment Council was formed in Sydney at the end of 2003, under the umbrella of the Australia-India Business Council. The council is headed by Anupam Sharma and enjoys significant co-operation from AusFilm and several state film agencies. [11] In 2003 Sharma line produced Janasheen. [12] In 2001, Anupam Sharma consulted on the Art Department of Baz Luhrmann, 'Moulin Rouge' starring Nicole Kidman on Indian elements. [13] Sharma was the Australian Line producer for Heyy Babyy, which was shot in Sydney [14] and MTV Roadies featured regional New South Wales, which became the highest rating ever on Indian TV in the youth music genre in 2009. It was produced in Australia by Film and Casting TEMPLE. [15]
In 2004, a delegation composed of key players from the Australian entertainment industry including Producer John Winter (Rabbit Proof Fence, Doing Time for Patsy Cline) who was also heading the delegation, Steve Cooper, M.D of the multi-award-winning Australian post-production company, BEEPS, and Shireen Ardeshir from IDP Education supported by The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) and its film chapter the Australia India Film Arts Media and Entertainment (FAME) Council, along with ausFILM, Australian Film Commission, and various State film bodies initiated by Anupam Sharma owner of Sydney-based production company Films and Casting TEMPLE pty ltd In March 2004, Sharma participated in a delegation at FRAMES 2004, a convention on the entertainment business held in Mumbai. He attended as part of a group supported by AusFilm, the Australia India Business Council, and various state film bodies. [16] . [17]
In 2011, he teamed with film veteran Peter Castaldi and launched An Australian Film Initiative AAFI, to market and promote Australian screen culture in non-traditional markets. In 2011, Sharma and Peter Castaldi co-founded the Australian Film Initiative to promote Australian cinema in India. The initiative featured retrospectives of Australian directors, including Baz Luhrmann (2012–13) and Phillip Noyce (2014–15), and was supported by public figures such as Hugh Jackman. [18] . [19] In 2011 Anupam was on the list of the 50 most powerful and influential professionals in the Australian film industry. [20]
In 2012, Sharma was selected as the head judge for the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) TV series Bollywood Star. [21] The four-part series follows the search for an Australian Bollywood star, who would go on to win a part in a Bollywood movie. Sharma was termed the Bollywood Czar of Australia, by broadcaster Geire Kami. He was also called the most high-profile Indian film professional in Australia, by Screen International. [22] Also in 2012, he was appointed Australia Day Ambassador [23] for his work in films between Australia and India, an appointment he has been receiving every year since 2013. [24] In 2013, Sharma was commissioned to direct a film by the Australian National Maritime Museum. Titled Indian Aussies - terms & conditions apply, the short tongue-in-cheek documentary humorously explores various aspects of being an Indian Australian. [25]
Sharma directed a series of television commercials for Destination NSW, which were rolled out throughout 2014. In 2014, Sharma directed a series of television commercials for Destination NSW, promoting tourism in the state to Indian audiences. The campaign was one of the more prominent international marketing efforts launched by the NSW government during that period. [26] . [27] In August 2014 Anupam was appointed as the first ambassador of the Parramasala Arts Festival. [28] The directorial debut by Anupam, [29] UNindian [30] starring Tannishtha Chatterjee and Brett Lee [31] released in October 2015 in Australia and August 2016 in India. [32] Anupam then produced and directed a Sharma later produced and directed a documentary titled *The Run*, which follows ultra-marathon athlete Pat Farmer’s long-distance fundraising run through India. [33] The Run. [34] As of 2025, Sharma is involved in the development of multiple Indian-Australian film projects, including narratives exploring diaspora identity and cross-cultural themes. [35] . By 2025, Sharma had led more than 410 screen projects through Films and Casting TEMPLE, spanning feature films, television commercials, festival initiatives, and government delegations between Australia and India. [36]
In 2025, Sharma founded and served as Festival Director of the inaugural National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA), which ran over 18 days from mid-February to early March across seven Australian cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra). The program featured over 40 films, including 36 Australian premieres and 3 world premieres, across multiple languages and genres. NIFFA also initiated a regional expansion plan to bring screenings outside capital cities. [37]
Sharma emphasised that NIFFA’s mission is to present Indian and South Asian cinema in a culturally authentic way, allowing creatives to “tell their story themselves… rather than external agents parachuting” in. The festival has been praised for breaking Bollywood stereotypes by programming regional films and documentaries. [38] [39] [40] The first is a called Honour [41] and the other is a documentary called Bollywood Downunder [42] [43] - showcased at Cannes 2022. [44] [45] The documentary, which includes stars such as Farhan Akhtar, Anupam Kher, Ritesh Sidhwani, Srishti Behl, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Fardeen Khan, and Ashutosh Gowariker is being edited by Karin Steininger(editor of Oscar, Emmy winning and Bafta nominated 'Remembering Anne frank'. [46]
