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Mira Nair

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Mira Nair
Nair in 2011
Born(1957-10-15)15 October 1957(age 66)
Rourkela,Orissa, India
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Film director
  • Film producer
Years active1986–present
Spouses
  • ​
    (div.1987)​
  • ​
    (m.1991)​
ChildrenZohran Mamdani
AwardsPadma Bhushan(2012)

Mira Nair(born 15 October 1957) is anIndian-Americanfilmmaker based inNew York City.[1]Her production company,Mirabai Films,specializes in films for international audiences on Indian society, whether in the economic, social or cultural spheres. Among her best known films areMississippi Masala,The Namesake,theGolden Lion–winningMonsoon Wedding,andSalaam Bombay!,which received nominations for theAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Filmand theBAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language.

Early life and education[edit]

Mira Nair was born on 15 October 1957 inRourkela,Orissa,India, and grew up with her two older brothers and parents inBhubaneswar.[2]Her father, Amrit Lal Nair, was an officer of theIndian Administrative Serviceand her mother, Parveen Nayyar, is a social worker who often focused on children.[3]

She lived in Bhubaneswar until age 18, and attended a convent, following which she left to attendLoreto Convent, Tara Hall, Shimla,[4]an Irish-Catholic missionary school, where she developed an infatuation with English literature. Following Tara Hall, Nair went on to study atMiranda HouseatDelhi University,where she majored in sociology. In order to gain the best education available, Nair applied for transfer to Western schools and, at 19, she was offered a full scholarship toCambridge University,but ultimately turned it down and instead accepted a full scholarship toHarvard University.[5][failed verification]

Career[edit]

Before she became a filmmaker, Nair was originally interested in acting, and at one point she performed plays written byBadal Sarkar,aBengali performer.While she studied at Harvard University, Nair became involved in the theater program and won a Boylston Prize for her performance ofJocasta's speech fromSeneca'sOedipus.[2]

Nair commented on film-making in a 2004 interview with FF2 Media's Jan Huttner:

It’s all in how I do it. Keeping the buns on the seats is very important to me. It requires that ineffable thing called rhythm and balance in movie-making. Foils have to be created, counter-weights. From the intimacy, let’s say, of a love scene to the visceral, jugular quality of war. That shift is something in the editing, how one cuts from the intimate to the epic that keeps you there waiting. The energy propels you.[6]

Nair said toImage Journalin 2017 that she chose directing over any other art form because it was collaborative. "That’s why I am neither a photographer nor writer," she said. "I like to work with people, and my strength, if any, is that. Working with life."[7]

Documentaries[edit]

At the start of her film-making career, Nair primarily made documentaries in which she explored Indian cultural tradition. For her film thesis at Harvard between 1978 and 1979, Nair produced a black-and-white film titledJama Masjid Street Journal.In the eighteen-minute film, Nair explored the streets ofOld Delhiand had casual conversations with Indian locals.[5]

In 1982, she made her second documentary titledSo Far from India,which is a fifty-two-minute film that followed an Indian newspaper dealer living in the subways of New York, while his pregnant wife waited for him to return home.[3]This film was recognized as a Best Documentary winner at theAmerican Film Festivaland New York's Global Village Film Festival.[5]

Her third documentary,India Cabaret,released in 1984, revealed the exploitation of female strippers inBombay,and followed a customer who regularly visited a local strip club while his wife stayed at home.[5]Nair raised roughly $130,000 for the project. The 59-minute film was shot over a span of two months. It was criticized by Nair's family.[2][3]Her fourth and last documentary, made forCanadian television,explored howamniocentesiswas being used to determine the sex of fetuses. Released in 1987,Children of a Desired Sexexposed the aborting of female fetuses due to society's favoring male offspring.[citation needed]

In 2001, with The Laughing Club of India, she exploredlaughter based on yoga.Founder Dr. Madan Kararia spoke of the club's history and the growth of laughing clubs across the country, and subsequently the world. The documentary included testimonials from members of the laughter clubs who described how the practice had improved or changed their lives. Its featured segments included a group of workers in an electrical products factory in Mumbai who took time off to laugh during their coffee break.[8]

Feature films[edit]

In 1983 with her friend,Sooni Taraporevala,Nair co-wroteSalaam Bombay!.Using her documentary film-making and acting experience, Nair sought out real "street children" to more authentically portray the lives of children who survived in the streets and were deprived of a true childhood.[2]Though the film did not do well at the box office, it won 23 international awards, including the Camera D’or and Prix du Public at theCannes Film Festivalin 1988.Salaam Bombay!was nominated at theAcademy AwardsforBest Foreign Language Filmin 1989.[9]

Nair and Taraporevala continued to challenge audiences with the 1991 filmMississippi Masala,which told the story of Ugandan-born Indians displaced inMississippi.[3]The film, featuringDenzel Washington,Roshan Seth,andSarita Choudhury,centers on a carpet-cleaner business owner (Washington) who falls in love with the daughter (Choudhury) of one of his Indian clients. The film revealed the evident prejudice in African-American and Indian communities. LikeSalaam Bombay!,the film was well received by critics, earned a standing ovation at theSundance Film Festivalin 1992, and won three awards at theVenice Film Festival.[5]

Nair went on to direct four more films before she produced one of her most notable films,Monsoon Wedding.Released in 2001, the film told the story of aPunjabiIndian wedding, written bySabrina Dhawan.Employing a small crew and casting some of Nair's acquaintances and relatives, the film grossed over $30 million worldwide. The film was awarded theGolden Lionaward at theVenice Film Festival,making Nair the first female recipient of the award.[10]

Nair then directed the Golden Globe-winningHysterical Blindness(2002), followed by makingWilliam Makepeace Thackeray's epicVanity Fair(2004).

In 2007, Nair was asked to directHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,but turned it down to work onThe Namesake.[3]Based on the book byPulitzer Prize-winnerJhumpa Lahiri,Sooni Taraporevala's screenplay follows the son of Indian immigrants who wants to fit in with New York City society, but struggles to get away from his family's traditional ways. The film was presented with the Dartmouth Film Award and was also honored with the Pride of India award at theBollywood Movie Awards.[11][12]This was followed by theAmelia EarhartbiopicAmelia(2009), starringHilary SwankandRichard Gere.[13]

In 2012, Nair directedThe Reluctant Fundamentalist,a thriller based on the best-selling novel by Mohsin Hamid. It opened the 2012 Venice Film Festival to critical acclaim and was released worldwide in early 2013. For the academic reception of Nair's adaptation ofThe Reluctant Fundamentalist,The Journal of Commonwealth Literaturequestions "how the ambivalence and provocativeness of the 'source' text translates into the film adaptation, and the extent to which the film format makes the narrative more palatable and appealing to wider audiences as compared to the novel’s target readership."[14]

Nair's 2016 filmQueen of Katwe,aWalt Disney Picturesproduction, starredLupita Nyong'oandDavid Oyelowoand was based on the story of Ugandan chess prodigyPhiona Mutesi.[15]

Nair's short films includeA Fork, a Spoon and a Knight,inspired by theNelson Mandelaquote, ″Difficulties break some men but make others.″ She contributed to11'09 "01 September 11(2002) in which 11 filmmakers reacted to the events of 11 September 2001. Other titles includeHow Can It Be?(2008),Migration(2008),New York, I Love You(2009) and her collaboration with, among others,Emir KusturicaandGuillermo Arriagaon the compilation featureWords with Gods.[16]

Other work[edit]

A longtime activist, Nair set up an annual film-makers' laboratory,Maisha Film Labin Kampala, Uganda. Since 2005, young directors in East Africa have been trained at this non-profit facility with the belief that "If we don't tell our stories, no one else will".[17]Maisha is currently building a school with Architect Raul Pantaleo, winner of Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and his company Studio Tamassociati.[18]

In 1998, she used the profits fromSalaam Bombay!to create theSalaam Baalak Trustwhich works with street children in India.[19]

A musical adaptation ofMonsoon Wedding,directed by Nair, premiered at theBerkeley Repertory Theatre,running from 5 May to 16 July 2017.[20][21]

As of 2015, she lives in New York City, where she is an adjunct professor in the Film Division of the School of Arts forColumbia University.The university has a collaboration with Nair's Maisha Film Lab, and offers opportunities for international students to work together and share their interests in film-making.[22]

In July 2020, journalistEllen Barryannounced that herPulitzer Prize-nominated story "The Jungle Prince of Delhi" about the "royal family of Oudh",published inThe New York Times,would be adapted into a web series forAmazon Studiosby Nair.[23][24]

In March 2021 it was announced Nair would direct a ten episode TV series forDisney+reimagining theNational Treasureserieswith a new cast.[25]

Personal life[edit]

In 1977, Nair met her first husband,Mitch Epstein,when taking photography classes at Harvard University.[2]They divorced by 1987, and in 1988 Nair met her second husband, theIndo-Ugandanpolitical scientistMahmood Mamdani,while inUgandadoing research for the filmMississippi Masala.Like his wife, Mamdani teaches atColumbia University.[3]Their son,Zohran Mamdani,was born in Uganda in 1991. In 2020, Zohran won a seat representingAstoria, Queensin theNew York State Assemblyafter defeating incumbent AssemblymemberAravella Simotasin the Democratic primary election earlier in the year.[26]

Nair has been an enthusiasticyogapractitioner for decades; when making a film, she has the cast and crew start the day with a yoga session.[27]

Political views[edit]

In July 2013, Nair declined an invitation to theHaifa International Film Festivalas a "guest of honor" to protest Israel's policies towardPalestine.In postings on her Twitter account, Nair stated "I will go to Israel when the walls come down. I will go to Israel when occupation is gone...I will go to Israel when the state does not privilege one religion over another. I will go to Israel when Apartheid is over. I will go to Israel, soon. I stand w/Palestine for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel(PACBI) & the largerBoycott, Divestment, Sanctions(BDS) Mov’t. "Nair was subsequently praised by PACBI, which stated that her decision to boycott Israel" helps to highlight the struggle against colonialism and apartheid. "She subsequently tweeted" I will go to Israel, soon. "[28][29][30][31][32][33]

Filmography[edit]

Documentary films

  • Jama Street Masjid Journal(1979)
  • So Far From India(1982)
  • Children of a Desired Sex(1987)

TV movies

Feature films

Year Title Notes
1988 Salaam Bombay! Nominated -Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Nominated -BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language
Nominated -Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Nominated -Filmfare Award for Best Director
1991 Mississippi Masala Nominated - Independent Spirit Award for Best Film
1995 The Perez Family
1996 Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love
2001 Monsoon Wedding Golden Lion

Nominated -BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language

Nominated -Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film

2004 Vanity Fair
2006 The Namesake
2009 Amelia
2012 The Reluctant Fundamentalist
2016 Queen of Katwe

Short films

Year Title Notes
1993 The Day the Mercedes Became a Hat
2002 Pakistan Segment of11'9 "01 September 11
2007 Migration.. Segment ofAIDS Jaago
2008 Kosher Vegetarian Segment ofNew York, I Love You
2008 How can it be? Segment of8
2014 God Room Segment ofWords with Gods

TV series

Year Title Notes
2020 A Suitable Boy 5 episodes[34]
2022 National Treasure: Edge of History Episode "I'm a Ghost"

Awards[edit]

Nair at theZanzibar International Film Festival,2013

She was awarded theIndia AbroadPerson of the Year-2007.[35]In 2012 she was awarded India's third highest civilian award thePadma Bhushanby President of India,Pratibha Patil.[36]

Wins[edit]

Nominations[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Spelling, Ian (1 September 2004). "Director likes to do her own thing".Waterloo Region Record.pp. C4.
  2. ^abcdeMuir, John Kenneth (1 June 2006).Mercy in Her Eyes: The Films of Mira Nair.Applause Theater & Cinema Books.ISBN1557836493.
  3. ^abcdef"Mira Nair".Encyclopedia of World Biography.Encyclopedia of World Biography.Retrieved29 April2015.
  4. ^"I'd eat onions before kissing Shashi Tharoor: Mira Nair".The Times of India.
  5. ^abcdeBlenski, Simon; Debreyne, Adrien Maurice; Hegewisch, Martha Eugina; Trivedi, Avani Anant."Mira Nair".University of Minnesota.Retrieved30 April2015.
  6. ^Huttner, Jan (15 August 2004)."Jan Chats with Internationally-Acclaimed Director Mira Nair About Her New Film 'Vanity Fair'".FF2 Media.Retrieved18 May2020.
  7. ^"A Conversation with Mira Nair".Image Journal.Retrieved18 May2020.
  8. ^Muir, John Kenneth (2006).Mercy in Her Eyes: The Films of Mira Nair.Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 156–158.ISBN9781557836496.
  9. ^Crossette, Barabara (23 December 1990)."Homeless and Hungry Youths of India".The New York Times.Retrieved13 October2008.
  10. ^Whitney, Anna (10 September 2001)."Indian director is first woman to win Golden Lion".The Independent.London.Archivedfrom the original on 15 May 2022.Retrieved8 December2009.
  11. ^"Bollywood to honour Mira Nair with 'Pride of India' award".Hindustan Times.Press Trust of India (PTI). 23 April 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 30 September 2007.
  12. ^"Mira Nair, Asha Parekh honoured at Bollywood awards in New York".Malaysia Sun.Indo-Asian News Service (IANS). 28 May 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 7 February 2012.Retrieved8 December2009.
  13. ^Block, Melissa (22 October 2009)."Mira Nair, Discovering A Very Modern 'Amelia'".NPR.Retrieved14 September2021.
  14. ^Lau, Lisa; Mendes, Ana Cristina (2018)."Post-9/11 re-orientalism: Confrontation and conciliation in Mohsin Hamid's and Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist"(PDF).The Journal of Commonwealth Literature.53(1): 80.doi:10.1177/0021989416631791.ISSN0021-9894.S2CID148197670.
  15. ^Robinson, Joanna (16 August 2015)."Why Lupita Nyong'o, Not the Superheroes, Represents the Future of Disney".Vanity Fair.Retrieved14 September2021.
  16. ^"Mira Nair".IMDb.Retrieved14 September2021.
  17. ^Bamzai, Kaveree (22 September 2016)."If we don't tell our stories no one else will: Mira Nair".DailyO.Retrieved24 September2018.
  18. ^Sisson, Patrick (9 April 2015)."TAMassociati's Humanitarian Architecture".Autodesk.Retrieved24 September2018.
  19. ^"mira Nair".Amakul International Film Festival.12 March 2016.Retrieved12 September2017.
  20. ^″Monsoon Wedding Kicks Off Developmental Lab Today″,Playbill,30 May 2016
  21. ^"Monsoon Wedding".berkeleyrep.org.Retrieved19 September2017.
  22. ^"Global Programs".Columbia University School of the Arts.Columbia University. Archived fromthe originalon 24 June 2015.Retrieved30 April2015.Archived24 June 2015 at theWayback Machine
  23. ^Krishnankutty, Pia (10 July 2020)."Mira Nair to adapt New York Times story 'The Jungle Prince of Delhi' into Amazon series".ThePrint.Retrieved11 July2020.
  24. ^"Mira Nair to adapt New York Times article The Jungle Prince of Delhi into a series".The Indian Express.10 July 2020.Retrieved11 July2020.
  25. ^Andreeva, Nellie (24 March 2021)."'National Treasure' TV Series With Latina Lead Greenlighted By Disney+; Mira Nair To Direct ".Deadline.Retrieved24 March2021.
  26. ^Singh, Yoshita."Mira Nair's son wins election to New York State assembly".Rediff.com.Retrieved4 November2020.
  27. ^Dupont, Joan (21 September 2001)."Mira Nair Peels Back Layers of Punjabi Society".International Herald Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon 28 December 2009.
  28. ^"Film director Mira Nair boycotting Haifa festival".Jewish Telegraphic Agency.21 July 2013.
  29. ^"Mira Nair turns down invite to Israel film festival".The Times of India.Press Trust of India (PTI). 23 July 2013.
  30. ^Sherwood, Harriet (21 July 2013)."Mira Nair boycotts Haifa film festival".The Guardian.
  31. ^Anderman, Nirit (21 July 2013)."Prominent filmmaker boycotts Haifa festival to protest Israeli 'apartheid'".
  32. ^"Mira Nair boycotts Israel Film Festival in Palestine's support".The Express Tribune.20 July 2013.
  33. ^"Award-winning director boycotts Haifa Film Festival to protest 'Apartheid'".The Jerusalem Post.21 July 2013.
  34. ^"BBC - Cast announced for BBC One's A Suitable Boy, the first screen adaptation of Vikram Seth's classic novel - Media Centre".BBC.
  35. ^"Mira Nair is India Abroad Person of the Year 2007".Rediff.com.29 March 2008.
  36. ^Jamkhandikar, Shilpa (25 January 2012)."Dharmendra, Shabana Azmi, Mira Nair to get Padma Bhushan".Reuters.
  37. ^Taraporevala, Sooni; Mira Nair (1989).Salaam Bombay!.Penguin Books.ISBN0-14-012724-0.
  38. ^Sloan, Jane (2007).Reel women.Scarecrow Press.ISBN978-0-8108-5738-4.
  39. ^[email protected], Natalie."Connie White to step down as fest's artistic director".capecodtimes.com.Retrieved29 December2020.Archived13 June 2021 at theWayback Machine
  40. ^"History of the Harvard Arts Medal".Harvard University Office for the Arts.Retrieved23 February2019.
  41. ^"43rd IFFI closes with Meera Nair's 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist'".pib.nic.in.
  42. ^"Padma Awards Announced".Press Information Bureau. 27 January 2013.Retrieved27 January2013.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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