Director

Anusha Rizvi

Anusha Rizvi is one of Bollywood's most celebrated independent voices, bringing a journalist's eye for truth to everything she touches. Her directorial debut, Peepli Live, was a watershed moment for Indian cinema—it became the first Indian film ever accepted to Sundance's World Competition in the festival's 25-year history, a distinction that immediately put her on the map. The film's sharp critique of media sensationalism and rural distress earned it serious accolades, including Best First Film at Durban and India's official submission to the Oscars. Before jumping into features, Rizvi worked as a journalist, and that background shapes her storytelling in fundamental ways. What sets Rizvi apart is her unflinching commitment to social realism and her ability to find dark humor in stories that could easily become preachy. Her work doesn't shy away from uncomfortable truths about class, media, and survival in contemporary India. Beyond feature films, she's expanded her range directing BBC documentaries like Amul and Khadi, and contributed to acclaimed projects like the National Geographic documentary Hijack IC-814. Whether tackling agrarian crisis or institutional storytelling, Rizvi consistently proves that Bollywood doesn't need to choose between being commercially aware and artistically fearless.