Kanu Behl

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Kanu Behl
Born1980 (age 43–44)
Kapurthala, Punjab, India
Nationality Indian
Alma mater Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute
Occupation(s)Director, writer
Years active2005–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2019)​
Parent(s) Lalit Behl
Navnindra Behl

Kanu Behl (born 1980) [1] is an Indian film director and screenwriter. He is known for his work in Hindi cinema.

Contents

He assisted director Dibaker Banerjee on the cult hit Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and co-wrote LSD: Love Sex aur Dhokha .

His directorial debut, Titli, appeared at several international film festivals, including Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, Zurich, Filmfest Hamburg, and BFI London. The script of Titli was selected by NFDC for the Screenwriters' Lab 2012, later winning the Post Production Award at Film Bazaar's Work-In-Progress Lab.

Titli was nominated for Caméra d'Or at 2014 Cannes Film Festival.

Early life and education

Kanu Behl spent his early years in Patiala, Punjab before moving to Delhi in 1990. Both his parents, Navnindra and Lalit Behl [2] are writer-actor-directors and also directed telefilms for the state-run Doordarshan channel. [1]

He studied at Apeejay School, Noida and sought a bachelor's degree in Business from Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Delhi University. In 2003, he joined the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute and pursued a PG Diploma in Cinema. [3] While at the Institute, he attended the Berlinale Talent Campus 2007 and made his documentary 'An Actor Prepares', about a struggling actor, who after seven years decides to give himself 15 days to make it in the film industry or return home. The documentary entered competitively at Cinéma du Réel 2007, a documentary film festival in France. [1]

In January 2019 Behl married music composer Sneha Khanwalkar. [4] [5]

Career

After graduating from SRFTI, he produced and directed documentaries for the international channels NHK, Japan and ZDF/Arte. He worked with Dibakar Banerjee on the feature film Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! as an Assistant director. In 2010, he co-wrote the critically acclaimed Love Sex aur Dhokha with Banerjee and was chief assistant director on the project. [6]

In 2012, the script of his first independent feature film Titli , was selected by NFDC for the Screenwriters' Lab 2012, which later won the 'Post-Production Award' at Film Bazaar's Work-In-Progress Lab in 2013. [7] Titli, appeared at several international film festivals, including the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, [8] Melbourne International Film Festival, [9] Rio de Janeiro International, Zurich Film Festival, [10] Filmfest Hamburg, [11] BFI London Film Festival [12] and the Chicago International Film Festival. [13] Written and directed by Behl and co-produced by Dibakar Banerjee Productions and Yash Raj Films, Titli was selected to take part in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. [14] [15]

Filmography

YearFilmCredited asNotesRef(s)
Director Writer Lyricist Other
2008 Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! YesAssistant director [16]
Dahleez PaarYesEditorTV movie
Three Blind MenYesYesShort film [17]
2010 Love Sex Aur Dhokha YesYesFirst assistant director [18]
2014 Titli YesYesDirectorial debut [19]
2019Binnu Ka SapnaYesYesShort film [20]
2023 Agra YesYesPremiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes and screened at the BIFF in October 2023. [21] [22]
2024DespatchYesYesTo premiere at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024 under the Gala Premieres section. [23] [24]

Awards and nominations

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Dipti Nagpaul (4 May 2014). "Ties That Bind". The Indian Express. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  2. ↑ Khan, Taran (5 October 2015). "Kanu Behl & Sharat Katariya: 'We weren't interested in a top-down gaze on the world'". Mint. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  3. ↑ "Distressing portrait of Indian family life in Cannes". telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  4. ↑ Coutinho, Natasha (24 January 2019). "Kanu Behl and Sneha Khanwalkar tie the knot". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  5. ↑ "Music composer Sneha Khanwalkar ties the knot with director Kanu Bahl". India Today. Ist. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  6. ↑ Frater, Patrick (20 May 2014). "India's Kanu Behl and Dibakar Banerjee Explain 'Titli' Challenges". Variety. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "YRF's Titli to compete at Cannes Film Festival". India Today. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "India's Indie Film 'Titli' Shines at Cannes". The Wall Street Journal. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "11 Indian films at Melbourne International Film Festival". DearCinema. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  10. ↑ "Indian new-age cinema a hit at Zurich fest". The Indian Express. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "Titli". Filmfest Hamburg. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  12. ↑ Heskins, Andrew (3 September 2014). "Picks from the upcoming 58th London Film Festival 2014". Eastern Kicks. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  13. ↑ "Kanu Behl's TITLI at 50th Chicago International Film Festival by Chicago International Film Festival in Chicago". Chicago Indian. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  14. ↑ "After 'Titli', 'True Love Story' at Cannes film fest". Livemint. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  15. ↑ "2014 Official Selection". Festival de Cannes 2014 (International Film Festival). Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  16. ↑ Lohana, Avinash (8 January 2019). "Kanu Bahl, Sneha Khanwalkar to get married on January 22–23 in Indore". Ahmedabad Mirror. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  17. ↑ "Kanu Behl". IFFR. 31 August 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  18. ↑ Kumar, P. K. Ajith (9 February 2019). "I am in no hurry". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  19. ↑ "'Titli' about patriarchy and violence in family: Kanu Behl". The Indian Express. 18 October 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  20. ↑ Venkatesa, Nikhil (25 January 2019). "Kanu Behl takes his short film to the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  21. ↑ "Kanu Behl's Agra to have world premiere at Directors' Fortnight of Cannes Film Festival". The Indian Express. 18 April 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  22. ↑ "The 28th Busan International Film Festival: Selection List". Busan International Film Festival. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  23. ↑ "Manoj Bajpayee begins filming Despatch". The Indian Express. 7 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  24. ↑ Deb, Deepshikha (30 September 2024). "MAMI Mumbai Film Festival Unveils 2024 Official Lineup". High On Films. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  25. ↑ "First-time director from India in the running for Camera d'Or at Cannes". The National. 21 May 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  26. ↑ "Titli, Teenkahon winners at SSAFF 2014". Dear Cinema. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  27. ↑ "Titli, Killa winners at SAIFF 2014". Dear Cinema. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  28. ↑ "Turkish film festival awards Indian 'Titli'". wn.com. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  29. ↑ "Titli takes top prize at Gijón". wn.com. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  30. ↑ Shackleton, Liz (4 November 2023). "'Against The Tide', 'Bahadur' & 'Agra' Take Top Awards At Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival". Deadline. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
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