Saad Khan

Saad Khan
Born Mumbai, India
Nationality Indian
Alma mater University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Occupation Filmmaker, entrepreneur
Years active 2008–present

Saad Khan is an Indian film director, screenwriter and acting teacher. He is founder and creative head of Centerstage Studios Private Limited.[1][2] He worked in Bollywood as an Associate Director to Oscar nominated filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker.[3] Khan was the director of the 2014 film Station, that was the first Hindi feature film in Bangalore.[4][5] In 2008, Khan's short film Another Kind of Black was screened at the Cannes Film Festival.[6] In 2016, Khan filmed his first Hollywood feature film titled Love and She in Louisiana. In 2017, he directed critically acclaimed film Humble Politician Nograj, released on 12 January 2018.[7] The film became the first Kannada-English film to become a box office hit in India and achieve the biggest overseas release across USA, UK, Europe, Australia, Germany, among other countries.[8]

Early life and career

Khan was born in Mumbai, India, and was raised in Bangalore.[9] Khan studied at Baldwin Boys High School and St. Joseph's, eventually graduating as a mechanical engineer from M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology. While studying to be an engineer, he developed an interest in theatre at the age of 17 and started writing and directing plays, after spearheading a theatre group which produced over 12 plays in 4 years.[10]

Khan decided to pursue a career in film and media. After leaving college, Khan left for the United States to continue his education. In New York, he got a degree certificate in filmmaking from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. He was awarded a study scholarship and assistantship, and was awarded his master's degree in Communication and Media from University of Louisiana at Lafayette.[11] He then returned to New York to complete the summer degree program in directing at Tisch.

Khan giving the Keynote Speech after receiving the Outstanding Alumnus Award 2015 from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

After this he wrote and directed two short films, Another Kind of Black and On My Mind.[12] The former was selected at the Short Film Corner of the Cannes Film Festival,[13] and the latter was shot in the south of the US and was screened at the Acadiana Film Festival. On his return to India, Khan assisted Ashutosh Gowariker on Bollywood film Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey almost immediately.[14] After a 2-year stint in Mumbai, he founded his media company Centerstage in Bangalore, which holds acting, communication and media workshops, produces stage shows, manages casting for films, ads, television commercials, viral videos and provides opportunities to aspiring artists in the city.[15]

Khan is also the producer of the comedy show The Improv (India) under the Centerstage banner.[16][17] He has conceptualised it, hosts and directs 6 to 7 actors by taking scenarios from a live audience, with the actors performing them on the spot. The Improv was the first national act which was presented by Black Dog Easy Evenings in Hyderabad, after they toured with performers such as Russell Peters, Robert Schneider, and the team of Whose Line Is It Anyway?.[18][19] The Improv toured internationally with well received shows in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

After a 2-year stint in Mumbai, he founded his media & entertainment company Centerstage Studios in Bangalore, which provides all film production services from ideation to execution, creates & manages all digital content for brands, conducts acting, communication, improvisation and media workshops, produces stage shows and live events, manages casting for films, creatively executes and line produces television commercials, digital ads and provides opportunities to aspiring artists in the city.[20]

Awards and honors

  • Young Achiever in Media by Whistling Woods International.[19]
  • Award in Recognition for Excellence in Media by Symbiosis International University.[19]
  • 2015 Outstanding Alumnus, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Department of Communication.[9]
  • Karnataka Award - department of youth empowerment and sports.[20

Filmography

Year Film Director Writer Notes
2008 Another Kind of Black ☑ ☑ Short Film
2010 On my Mind ☑ ☑ Short Film
2014 Station ☑ ☑
2016 Love and She ☑ ☑ Post-production
2018 Humble Politician Nograj ☑ ☑ Kannada Movie

References

  1. ↑ "IMDB profile of Saad Khan". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  2. ↑ "The Movement". Centerstage India. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Ashutosh Gowariker proud of protégé Saad Khan's debut film Station". Hollywood Life. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  4. ↑ "Innovative Production Team Announce An Independent Feature Film Which Looks To Drive Plot & Passion to the Forefront in Place of Visual Effects and Funding" (Press release). i-Newswire. 22 April 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "Station (2014)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  6. ↑ Akshatha Shetty (12 July 2011). "'I would be incomplete without art'". New Indian Express. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "'Humble Politician Nograj' review: Good for voters, right in time for polls". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  8. ↑ "I couldn't have made Humble Politician Nograj without my amazing crew: Saad Khan - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  9. ↑ Ipsita Basu Dasugpta (22 June 2011). "I love Bangalore to bits". DNA Syndication. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "A love score". India Today. 22 November 2004. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  11. ↑ Dr. T. Michael Maher, Head Department of Communication. "Honored as department's outstanding alumnus". University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
  12. ↑ "Saad Khan's reunion party". The Times of India. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  13. ↑ Mandara Vishwanath (12 May 2012). "It is all situational here". CNN-IBN. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  14. ↑ Sravasti Datta (27 June 2011). "Finding his groove". The Hindu. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  15. ↑ "THE IMPROV – Unrehearsed, Unbelievable, Uncensored and LIVE" (Press release). 1888 Press Release. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  16. ↑ "THE IMPROV – Unrehearsed, Unbelievable, Uncensored and LIVE" (Press release). Online PR Media. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  17. ↑ "Centerstage Film Acting Workshop – Camera Session 1" (Press release). Firstpost. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  18. ↑ "Saad Khan – Chinwag with Saad Khan". Bangalore Mirror. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  19. ↑ L Romal M Singh (4 October 2012). "These guys are just insane". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  20. ↑ "The man behind the role". Deccan Herald. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
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