Nayan Padrai
Encyclopedia
Nayan Padrai is an award-winning screenwriter, producer, and director. Nayan co-wrote, produced, and directed his first feature film When Harry Tries to Marry released in the US on April 22, 2011. He also produced the film’s soundtrack.
. From there, Nayan studied drama at Queensborough Community College
and transferred to focus on screenwriting and acting in New York City at the School of Visual Arts
, and continued his training at Gotham Writers' Workshop
. He studied acting with Lisa Eichhorn
, Joe Paradise, and Matt Mitler
.
Prior to launching his filmmaking career at the age of 34, Nayan was the Co-Founder and President of Cinemaya Media Group, then one of the largest South Asian media, entertainment and marketing conglomerates in the US. While at the company, Nayan wrote, produced and/or directed over 300 hours of Indian television programming across genres, oversaw publication of several newspaper titles, the development of a radio station, a television network, and founded Elephant Advertising, an advertising agency, which was one of the top 15 multi-cultural advertising agencies (ranked by Ad-Age).
, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences - Nicholl Fellowship, Breckenridge Screenplay Competition, Lone Star Screenplay Competition, Open-Door Script Magazine Contest, Writer's Network Competition, and Chesterfield Writer's Film Project.
Nayan’s debut film When Harry Tries to Marry has become a festival darling. It has won Best Audience Award, Best Crossover Film, and Best New Talent at London Asian Film Festival. It also won Best Feature Film (Comedy) at Jersey Shore Film Festival. The film was a marquee screening of the Austin Film Festival
, where it had its World Premiere, and its international premiere was at Mumbai Film Festival. The film was an official selection of the Gold Coast International Film Festival.
Nayan has been a guest speaker at various industry events, and colleges including Ithaca College, Pace University, and Stonybrook University. In 2006, the South Asian Student Alliance (S.A.S.A.) bestowed Nayan with a Visionary Award for his work in the media and entertainment sector.
Nayan has adapted the screenplay for the award-winning, best-selling novel “Beneath a Marble Sky”.
108 Production has announced a film entitled "Billion Dollar Raja" inspired by the story of Raj Rajaratnam
described as "an investigative financial mafia drama inspired by the true story of Galleon Group
founder Mr. Raj Rajaratnam, his network of Wall Street honchos, big corporate insiders, employees and a prosecution team determined to punish those involved in the most complex insider trading case in history through secret wire-tap recordings." The film will be written and directed by Nayan Padrai and produced by Sheetal Vyas
.
Early life
Born in Mumbai, and raised in Forest Hills, New York, Nayan grew passionate about writing and acting at Forest Hills High SchoolForest Hills High School
Forest Hills High School , dedicated in 1937, is a public secondary school in Queens, New York City. It educates students in grades 9–12 and is operated by the New York City Department of Education.- Location :...
. From there, Nayan studied drama at Queensborough Community College
Queensborough Community College
Not to be confused with Queens College, City University of New YorkQueensborough Community College , is one of six community colleges within the City University of New York system. It is located in the neighborhood of Bayside, Queens County, New York City, New York. The total enrollments are...
and transferred to focus on screenwriting and acting in New York City at the School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts , is a proprietary art school located in Manhattan, New York City, and is widely considered to be one of the leading art schools in the United States. It was established in 1947 by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School and...
, and continued his training at Gotham Writers' Workshop
Gotham Writers' Workshop
Gotham Writers' Workshop is the U.S.'s largest adult-education writing school. It was founded in New York City in 1993 by writers Jeff Fligelman and David Grae and currently offers courses both in New York and on-line...
. He studied acting with Lisa Eichhorn
Lisa Eichhorn
Lisa Eichhorn is an American actress, writer and producer. She made her film debut in 1979 in the John Schlesinger film Yanks for which she received two Golden Globe nominations...
, Joe Paradise, and Matt Mitler
Matt Mitler
Matt Mitler is an American actor and voice actor best known for multiple roles on the television series Pokémon . He is also the director of Theatre Group Dzieci that works in hospitals and psychiatric wards and produces experimental work such as the critically acclaimed "Fools Mass" which was...
.
Career in Media, Marketing, Entertainment
In 1997, Nayan was an associate producer of the prestigious Music Festival of India, to celebrate India’s 50th year of independence. He produced the video of the concert at Carnegie Hall.Prior to launching his filmmaking career at the age of 34, Nayan was the Co-Founder and President of Cinemaya Media Group, then one of the largest South Asian media, entertainment and marketing conglomerates in the US. While at the company, Nayan wrote, produced and/or directed over 300 hours of Indian television programming across genres, oversaw publication of several newspaper titles, the development of a radio station, a television network, and founded Elephant Advertising, an advertising agency, which was one of the top 15 multi-cultural advertising agencies (ranked by Ad-Age).
Festivals, Awards, Appearances
Nayan has won several awards and accolades for his screenwriting efforts at screen writing festivals and contests. In 2009, his script for When Harry Tries to Marry with writing partner Ralph Stein was a top ten finalist at Creative Screenwriting Magazine (Expo Contest). When Harry Tries to Marry was a winner at the Texas Film Institute competition and at the Empire Screenplay Competition. He was accepted to the Sundance Independent Producer Conference in 2004. His writing has placed in various stages of quarter-final, semi-final, and finals competition at Austin Film FestivalAustin Film Festival
The Austin Film Festival was started in 1994 in Austin, Texas and is claimed to be "the first organization of its kind to focus on the writer’s unique creative contribution to the film and television industries"...
, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences - Nicholl Fellowship, Breckenridge Screenplay Competition, Lone Star Screenplay Competition, Open-Door Script Magazine Contest, Writer's Network Competition, and Chesterfield Writer's Film Project.
Nayan’s debut film When Harry Tries to Marry has become a festival darling. It has won Best Audience Award, Best Crossover Film, and Best New Talent at London Asian Film Festival. It also won Best Feature Film (Comedy) at Jersey Shore Film Festival. The film was a marquee screening of the Austin Film Festival
Austin Film Festival
The Austin Film Festival was started in 1994 in Austin, Texas and is claimed to be "the first organization of its kind to focus on the writer’s unique creative contribution to the film and television industries"...
, where it had its World Premiere, and its international premiere was at Mumbai Film Festival. The film was an official selection of the Gold Coast International Film Festival.
Nayan has been a guest speaker at various industry events, and colleges including Ithaca College, Pace University, and Stonybrook University. In 2006, the South Asian Student Alliance (S.A.S.A.) bestowed Nayan with a Visionary Award for his work in the media and entertainment sector.
Recent and upcoming work
As described in his guest blog for IndieWire’s Hope for Film series, Nayan launched 108 Production to make films and 108 Pics to "direct distribute" them.Nayan has adapted the screenplay for the award-winning, best-selling novel “Beneath a Marble Sky”.
108 Production has announced a film entitled "Billion Dollar Raja" inspired by the story of Raj Rajaratnam
Raj Rajaratnam
Raj Rajaratnam is an American former hedge fund manager and founder of the Galleon Group, a New York-based hedge fund management firm. On October 16, 2009, he was arrested by the FBI on allegations of insider trading, which also caused the Galleon Group to close. He stood trial in U.S. v...
described as "an investigative financial mafia drama inspired by the true story of Galleon Group
Galleon Group
Galleon Group was one of the largest hedge fund management firms in the world, managing over $7 billion, before closing in October 2009. The firm was at the center of a 2009 insider trading scandal that resulted in investors pulling capital from the firm rapidly...
founder Mr. Raj Rajaratnam, his network of Wall Street honchos, big corporate insiders, employees and a prosecution team determined to punish those involved in the most complex insider trading case in history through secret wire-tap recordings." The film will be written and directed by Nayan Padrai and produced by Sheetal Vyas
Sheetal Vyas
Sheetal Vyas is a film producer.Sheetal produced her first feature film When Harry Tries to Marry released in the US on April 22, 2011. She also produced the film’s soundtrack.-Early life:...
.
Filmography
- When Harry Tries to Marry (2010)
- Billion Dollar Raja (announced)