Pradip Krishen, (b. 1949)
Hindi and English director born in New Delhi. Educated at Mayo College and St. Stephen’s College (1966-9), then at Balliol, Oxford (1969- 71). Taught history at Ramjas College, New Delhi (1971-6). Started his film career when he bought a Bell & Howell 16mm camera (1973); briefly apprenticed to Shyam Benegal (1973). Assisted Georges Luneau (Ballade de Babuji, 1975); then worked with the private Delhibased TVNF company producing 81 popular sci-fi films of 15’ each, shooting and directing some of them himself. Freelance documentarist with Grapevine Media. Début feature in Hindi, Massey Sahib, which was four years in the making; next two films were in English, sponsored by TV and aimed at an international market. Edited a special issue of the India International Centre Quarterly (March 1980) on cinema. Electric Moon is a UK production, mainly for Channel 4 in London.
FILMOGRAPHY: 1977: The Social Life of the Honey Bee; Medicinal Drugs; Reinventing the Wheel; King Coal; Reading the Moon Rocks; 1978: The Birth of the Himalayas; The Silicone Chip; Lovesongs; Nestmates; 1979: Glass; Why Birds Sing; The Age of the Earth; 1981: By Word of Mouth (all Sh); 1985: Massey Sahib; 1988: In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones (TV); 1991: Electric Moon (TV).