Gayatri Kumar

CEO at Shastra Productions
Director and Screenwriter

Bronxville, New York

Member Since:
March 2022

Last online:
> 2 weeks ago

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About Gayatri

I've followed a strict philosophy with filmmaking from the very start: go big or go home. Growing up watching movies of every genre and language, I had come to notice how much money is pumped into the film industry only to produce a few hours of entertainment that's soon forgotten. Then the question arose: is that all there is to a billion-dollar industry? Just entertainment? Could a film be more than just a few laughs on Netflix? Could it potentially change someone's life? The pursuit of this answer sums up my direction as a filmmaker.

I'm a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College ('21) where I concentrated in filmmaking. I spend a lot of my time traveling and learning about the world around me, especially in regards to the intricacies of human nature on both a small and large scale. A part of this meant working with New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to learn about what deep-rooted issues drove an entire state. Working with marginalized groups, refugees, women, and several more groups of people has allowed me to gain insight into crafting social-themed films told in an extremely interesting and powerful way. I turned away from documentaries and into narrative filmmaking to tell these stories, motivated by films such as Hotel Rwanda, Schindler's List, Escape from Mogadishu, and more. Through all the work, I had noticed that I had created a different type of filmmaking: democratic filmmaking. It was all about involving real subjects in your work and creating that sought-after impact straight on your set.

As I see it, the only problem with Inglorious Basterds is that it wasn't made while Hitler was alive. I intend to capture our world's most current issues in a way that goes beyond informing and raising awareness--that's the news' agency's job. As a filmmaker I'm creating a new avenue--don't tell the audience, command the audience. Show them what can happen, not just what does.

Gender:
Female

Ethnicity:
Indian/South Asian

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Videos

Loglines

One Day Before Being Sold Budget: $100K - $1M | Drama On her 15th birthday, a softhearted girl discovers her money-grubbing father plans to sell her to the Taliban, leaving her and her loved ones to make the most of an unimaginable, final 24 hours together.

Credits

Finding Lulu (2022)
Film (short) by Shastra Productions Writer/Director After learning about the culture of school shootings in America, Lulu’s Kenyan community bands together to prepare her for life in U.S. schools.
Coffined At 15 (2022)
Film (short) by Shastra Productions Director 15-year-old Rihana is put into a coffin at the hands of her father to be sold off to an old Talibani soldier. The wedding is a cocktail of tears and laughter. Rihana calls for help—no answer. Then she remembers her God.
The Day That Worship Changed (2021)
Film (short) by Shastra Productions Director, Cinematographer When the coronavirus pandemic strikes hard, we see through the eyes of a young girl as she puts together what could be behind all this pain and suffering.
The Now Kisan Anthologies (2021)
Documentary by Shastra Productions Director When the Indian government goes after exploiting one of its poorest populations, the farmers' movement erupts. This documentary showcases the inspiring and informative stories of several farmers.
Snake Charmers of India (2019)
Short Director A short documentary on the snake charmers of India, dispelling myths, revealing secrets of the practice that few know of, and showing the unique bond between the snake and the charmer.