Amitabh Aurora (born 11 June 1982, Allahabad) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and actor. Aurora is best known for his Bongo films in the Swahili language and is cited as having written and directed ‘the first high quality Bongo movie from Zanzibar.’[1]
Amitabh Aurora | |
|---|---|
 Aurora at the 2011 Zanzibar International Film Festival | |
| Born | 11 June 1982 Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupations |
|
Career
editAurora began his career in New Delhi, working as a stage actor for 4 years with New Delhi Players and Yatrik Theatre Group. He moved to Mumbai to be an actor where he worked acting in T.V. serials for 3 years.[citation needed]
He moved to Tanzania, East Africa in 2009 where he wrote and directed four feature films in Tanzania working for leading producer of Bongo movies Zanzibar-based ZG Films.[2] All his Swahili feature films featured in the 2012 Zanzibar International Film Festival.[3] Black Magic was shortlisted in the Montreal International Black Film Festival in 2012. He also Line Produced several foreign productions in Tanzania for BBC London, M Net South Africa and Al Jazeera News .
Aurora moved back to India in 2012 and began work as Executive Producer in Charlie Kay Chakkar Mein starring Naseeruddin Shah and as creative producer and additional dialogue writer in forthcoming film Chai Shai Biscuits both produced by Picture Thoughts Productions.
He directed and acted in several short films including Captain The Struggler, which was shortlisted in Paraj Mumbai Short Film Festival in 2014.
He wrote Television shows including Bani - Ishq Da Kalma and Kehta Hai Dil Jee Le Zara. In 2015 he assisted Tigmanshu Dhulia on feature film Yaara.
He is the founder and creative director of Mumbai-based production house Have Camera Make Films (HCMF). In early 2016 HCMF received critical acclaim in the Deccan Chronicle for their short film "Free Basics" featuring popular South Indian actress Shradda Das. The Chronicle described it as a "brilliant production" bringing " to the fore the topic of sudden, unplanned and haphazard growth, urbanisation and development."[4] Free Basics was part of the official selection for the Zanzibar International Film Festival 2017.[5]
In 2018 he produced and directed the short film "Blink to Speak" for agency TBWA/India, created for a non-profit, Asha Ek Hope Foundation and NeuroGen Brain & Spine Institute, which won the Health Grand Prix for Good at the 2018 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.[6][7]
In 2022, Amitabh wrote, directed and co-produced ASYLUM, a political thriller short film, starring Taher Shabbir, Rishina Kandhari, Sulbha Arya, Vaishnavi Dhanraj. It is being presented by eminent film maker Sudhir Mishra and has won best director for Amitabh in Florence Film Awards, best thriller in Paris Film Awards and had its European Premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart in July 2023. It will be released on a leading ott platform in Dec 2023.
Filmography
editFeature Films
| Film | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Usaliti | 2009 | Director, writer |
| Glamour - The Reality Behind The Dreams | 2011 | Director, writer |
| Black Magic | 2012 | Director, writer |
| Room Number 13 | 2012 | Director, writer |
Short Films
| Film | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Undercurrent Temper | 2009 | Director, writer, actor |
| Captain The Struggler | 2014 | Director, writer, actor |
| Sauti za Busara | 2011 | Director, writer |
| Captain Returns | 2015 | Director, writer, actor |
| Free Basics | 2016 | Director, writer |
| Asylum | 2023 | Director, Producer, Writer |
Acting
edit| Role | Production | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Yash | Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani | 2005, 2006 |
| Vicky | Woh Hue na Humaare | 2006, 2007 |
| Various | Aisi ki taisi | 2007, 2008 |
Writing credits
edit| Title | Production/Channel | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Bani – Ishq Da Kalma | Colors TV | 2014 |
| Kehta Hai Dil Jee Le Zara | Sony TV | 2013 |
| Chai Shai Biscuits | Picture Thoughts Productions | 2013 |
| Asylum | HCMF Productions | 2023 |
References
edit- ^ "Glamour- First High Quality Bongo Movie From Zanzibar". bongocelebrity.com. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ "Chemhere, Martin. "Weaving A Spell" Screen Africa magazine. August 2012". screenafrica.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
- ^ Bose, Shinjini. "Zanzibar International Film Festival". boxofficeindia.co.in. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ "Gupta, Namita. "Basic'ally, Let's Tackle the Real Issues" Deccan Chronicle. April 2016". 2 April 2016.
- ^ "ZIFF official selection 2017". 19 May 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
- ^ "Advertising, Marketing, Agency, Tech and Data News".
- ^ Irani, Delshad. "TBWA India bags Grand Prix for Good at the Cannes Lions". The Economic Times.