Sharada Ramanathan


Sharada Ramanathan is an Indian film director, cultural thinker and writer. She made her directional debut in the 2007 Tamil film Sringaram which won three National Film Awards. Her second film Puthiya Thiruppangal is awaiting release. In 2014, directed Natyanubhava, a documentary film said on Indian classical dance, featuring the top dancers and film technicians in India.

Career

Prior to entering films, Sharada Ramanathan was engaged with the fields of media and culture. She was involved with social and cultural movements such as SPIC MACAY and CRY. She was highly instrumental in setting up India Foundation for the Arts, a philanthropy organisation to encourage fine arts in India. She was also associated with Ford Foundation as its "Program Officer". She made her first feature film Sringaram, a story set in the early 19th century, depicts the life of a Devadasi. After getting screened at various film festivals, the film got a theatrical release in 2007 and went on to win three National Film Awards and two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. The film was critically acclaimed. Malathi Rangarajan of The Hindu noted, "Sringaram is an aesthetic showcase of first time maker Sharada Ramanathan's potential". She was one of the jury members of the 54th National Film Awards. Her second film Puthiya Thiruppangal which deals with child trafficking is awaiting release. Unlike her previous film which was a period drama, Puthiya Thiruppangal is set in the contemporary period and made on "commercial format". As of 2014, Sharada's third project Natyanubhava, is a documentary which is said to be based on Indian classical dance. The film produced by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust and funded by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Other works

Apart from her film career, Sharada has also written for various dailies, journals and magazines. She is associated with United Nations Development Programme and UNESCO and has been on many film related international juries like Indian National Film awards, IFFI Goa and International Macau Film Festival.

Filmography