Rajnesh Domalpalli
Encyclopedia
Rajnesh Domalpalli is a Telugu
film director
from India
. His first directorial venture, Vanaja
, won several international awards including the Best First Feature award at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival.
, Tamil Nadu
, and graduated with a Bachelors and Masters degree in electrical engineering
in 1984 and 1986 respectively. His family has moved to Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh
in South India
, where his parents live in retirement. During his Bachelors degree at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
, he used to write short stories, and one of the, The Dowry, was twice selected for broadcast by BBC World Service
while he was in graduate school
. During schooling, he was introduced to south Indian classical music
, on the veena
, and followed this up with several years of training on the vocals. He studied veena during his schooling at the IIT from the wife of one of his Professors.
in the Silicon Valley
, California
, he decided to pursue filmmaking
in 2001, and graduated with a Master of Fine Arts
degree from Columbia University
in 2006. Without any prior experience in Arts, he was concerned that he would not be granted admission to the University, so he took pre-requisite courses ranging from art history
to design to acting to voice study.
The story of Vanaja
was Domalpalli's project submission in his first semester at Columbia University
in the Fall of 2001. The story was inspired by a child's scream at being separated from her mother in the film, Sophie's Choice
. Over the next three semesters, however, it veered away from his original intent about mother-child separation, towards a study of what Domalpalli later described as, "elements of class distinction
and conflict that continue to infuse our society and culture even today." He also said that the film was about "fading institutions of folk art, old buildings that are collapsing, things which we should be protecting - that are a part of our heritage." Referring to preservation of Indian culture and heritage, he said that he took the film to be an opportunity to emphasize the Indian folk arts.
Vanaja went on to win 24 international awards at major film festivals including the Best First Feature award at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival. In 2008, it was also nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards: for Best First Feature and Best Cinematography.
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. His first directorial venture, Vanaja
Vanaja (2006 film)
Vanaja is a 2006 Indian art house film written and directed by Rajnesh Domalpalli on a story that constituted his Master of Fine Arts thesis at Columbia University...
, won several international awards including the Best First Feature award at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival.
Early life
Rajnesh Domalpalli, was born in ChennaiChennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, and graduated with a Bachelors and Masters degree in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
in 1984 and 1986 respectively. His family has moved to Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
, where his parents live in retirement. During his Bachelors degree at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay , popularly known as IIT Bombay or IITB, is a public research university located in Powai, Mumbai...
, he used to write short stories, and one of the, The Dowry, was twice selected for broadcast by BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
while he was in graduate school
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
. During schooling, he was introduced to south Indian classical music
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
, on the veena
Veena
Veena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
, and followed this up with several years of training on the vocals. He studied veena during his schooling at the IIT from the wife of one of his Professors.
Foray into films
While he was working as a software engineerSoftware engineer
A software engineer is an engineer who applies the principles of software engineering to the design, development, testing, and evaluation of the software and systems that make computers or anything containing software, such as computer chips, work.- Overview :...
in the Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, he decided to pursue filmmaking
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
in 2001, and graduated with a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
degree from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 2006. Without any prior experience in Arts, he was concerned that he would not be granted admission to the University, so he took pre-requisite courses ranging from art history
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
to design to acting to voice study.
The story of Vanaja
Vanaja (2006 film)
Vanaja is a 2006 Indian art house film written and directed by Rajnesh Domalpalli on a story that constituted his Master of Fine Arts thesis at Columbia University...
was Domalpalli's project submission in his first semester at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in the Fall of 2001. The story was inspired by a child's scream at being separated from her mother in the film, Sophie's Choice
Sophie's Choice (film)
Sophie's Choice is a 1982 American romantic drama film that tells the story of a Polish immigrant, Sophie, and her tempestuous lover who share a boarding house with a young writer in Brooklyn. The film stars Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, and Peter MacNicol. Alan J...
. Over the next three semesters, however, it veered away from his original intent about mother-child separation, towards a study of what Domalpalli later described as, "elements of class distinction
Caste system in India
The Indian caste system is a system of social stratification and social restriction in India in which communities are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups called Jātis....
and conflict that continue to infuse our society and culture even today." He also said that the film was about "fading institutions of folk art, old buildings that are collapsing, things which we should be protecting - that are a part of our heritage." Referring to preservation of Indian culture and heritage, he said that he took the film to be an opportunity to emphasize the Indian folk arts.
Vanaja went on to win 24 international awards at major film festivals including the Best First Feature award at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival. In 2008, it was also nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards: for Best First Feature and Best Cinematography.