Abhay Kumar is an Indian film director, cinematographer and producer. He is best known for his award-winning documentaries.
Abhay was born in New Delhi, India in 1982. He graduated from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi with a degree in History. He went on to pursue an MA in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University. During this time, he interned with UNICEF and UNESCO.
He then decided to pursue his passion for filmmaking and enrolled in the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, where he specialized in direction and cinematography. While there, he made two short films and two documentaries.
After graduating, he went on to direct his first feature-length documentary, Placebo. The film, set in Delhi and exploring the lives of medical students, premiered at the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2012. It won several awards and was screened in festivals all over the world, including the Berlin International Film Festival, the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, and the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.
Abhay's second feature-length documentary was called The Fourth Direction. It was about a group of migrants from India, Nepal and Bangladesh living in Delhi and premiered at the Busan International Film Festival in 2017. It went on to win several awards, including the Grand Jury Prize at the Mumbai International Film Festival.
He has also directed several shorts and music videos, and has produced several documentaries. His latest film, Pray, Love, Remember, explores the lives of elderly people in India and premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam in 2019.
Abhay has been recognized by several international organizations for his work, including the Discovery Channel and the Sundance Institute. He has been featured in several publications, including The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
Abhay is currently working on his next feature-length documentary, which will explore the lives of the transgender community in India. He is also working on a feature-length fiction film.
Abhay is an inspiring filmmaker whose work has pushed boundaries and has had a lasting impact on Indian documentary filmmaking. He is an icon for aspiring filmmakers, and his work will continue to inspire generations to come.
