Vijay Singh (writer and filmmaker)
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Vijay Singh
the Fijian golfer or Vijay Singh (politician)
Vijay Singh is an Indian writer and filmmaker based in France.
, filmmaker and screenplay
writer from India
living in Paris
. He was born to Doctor Kanwar Hari Singh, a surgeon, and Kanwarani Raksha Hari Singh.
He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and a Masters of Arts degree in History from Jawaharlal Nehru University
(JNU), New Delhi.
Inspired by French surrealism
and André Breton
, Vijay Singh moved to Paris
in the early nineteen eighties and enrolled for a Phd. Degree at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales
.
. This was the start of his career as a journalist. He has written extensively for the French press, primarily Libération
, Le Monde
and Le Monde diplomatique
on issues revolving around politics, culture, art and cinema, and also contributed articles to magazines and other international newspapers such as The Guardian
and The Times of India.
, In Search of the River Goddess. The book was first published in France
(Jaya Ganga, le Gange et son Double, Ramsay, Paris
1985; Ginkgo, Paris 2005) before being published by Penguin Books
India and UK.
He subsequently wrote three other books, Whirlpool of Shadows (French: Tourbillon d’ombres), La Nuit Poignardée(The Wounded Night) and The River Goddess (French: La Déesse qui devint fleuve), a book for children. Whirlpool of Shadows was listed by the Booker Prize winner Barry Unsworth in his column “Best Books of the UK” in The Sunday Times
, 1992.
(French: Jaya, fille du Gange ) was released in France, the UK and India and shown at several major film festivals worldwide, often in the competition category. The music was composed by Vanraj Bhatia
. His second feature film One Dollar Curry, a comedy on immigration, was shot in Paris
and released internationally. The film received wide press and media coverage. The music was composed by Zakir Hussain
.
Vijay Singh has written and directed the film India by Song . His documentary Chami and Ana the Elephant ( Man and Elephant / L'Homme et L'Eléphant) was first shown on the French television channel Canal + before being broadcast on some 100 televisions worldwide.
Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
the Fijian golfer or Vijay Singh (politician)
Vijay Singh (politician)
Vijay Singh is a Fijian politician of Indian descent, who represented the Vuda Open Constituency in the House of Representatives for the Fiji Labour Party from 2001 to 2006, having retained the seat at the 2001 parliamentary election with more than 57 percent of the votes cast.In 2003, Singh was...
Vijay Singh is an Indian writer and filmmaker based in France.
Biography
Vijay Singh is a writerWriter
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, filmmaker and screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
writer 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...
living in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He was born to Doctor Kanwar Hari Singh, a surgeon, and Kanwarani Raksha Hari Singh.
He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and a Masters of Arts degree in History from Jawaharlal Nehru University
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Jawaharlal Nehru University, also known as JNU, is located in New Delhi, the capital of India. It is mainly a research oriented postgraduate University with approximately 5,500 students and a faculty strength of around 550.-History:...
(JNU), New Delhi.
Inspired by French surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
and André Breton
André Breton
André Breton was a French writer and poet. He is known best as the founder of Surrealism. His writings include the first Surrealist Manifesto of 1924, in which he defined surrealism as "pure psychic automatism"....
, Vijay Singh moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in the early nineteen eighties and enrolled for a Phd. Degree at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales
École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales
The École des hautes études en sciences sociales is a leading French institution for research and higher education, a Grand Établissement. Its mission is research and research training in the social sciences, including the relationship these latter maintain with the natural and life sciences...
.
Journalism
While still a student in Paris in the early eighties, Vijay Singh wrote a long 20-page article which was published by Le Monde diplomatiqueLe Monde diplomatique
Le Monde diplomatique is a monthly newspaper offering analysis and opinion on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first created mainly for a diplomatic audience as its name implies...
. This was the start of his career as a journalist. He has written extensively for the French press, primarily Libération
Libération
Libération is a French daily newspaper founded in Paris by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July in 1973 in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968. Originally a leftist newspaper, it has undergone a number of shifts during the 1980s and 1990s...
, Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
and Le Monde diplomatique
Le Monde diplomatique
Le Monde diplomatique is a monthly newspaper offering analysis and opinion on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first created mainly for a diplomatic audience as its name implies...
on issues revolving around politics, culture, art and cinema, and also contributed articles to magazines and other international newspapers such as The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and The Times of India.
Literary
While still a journalist, Vijay Singh wrote his first novel, Jaya GangaJaya Ganga
Jaya Ganga is an international film made by Paris-based Indian writer, film maker and screenplay writer Vijay Singh.The film stars Asil Rais and Smriti Mishra as leads....
, In Search of the River Goddess. The book was first published in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(Jaya Ganga, le Gange et son Double, Ramsay, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
1985; Ginkgo, Paris 2005) before being published by Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
India and UK.
He subsequently wrote three other books, Whirlpool of Shadows (French: Tourbillon d’ombres), La Nuit Poignardée(The Wounded Night) and The River Goddess (French: La Déesse qui devint fleuve), a book for children. Whirlpool of Shadows was listed by the Booker Prize winner Barry Unsworth in his column “Best Books of the UK” in The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, 1992.
Films
Vijay has written and directed two feature films. Jaya GangaJaya Ganga
Jaya Ganga is an international film made by Paris-based Indian writer, film maker and screenplay writer Vijay Singh.The film stars Asil Rais and Smriti Mishra as leads....
(French: Jaya, fille du Gange ) was released in France, the UK and India and shown at several major film festivals worldwide, often in the competition category. The music was composed by Vanraj Bhatia
Vanraj Bhatia
Vanraj Bhatia is an Indian music composer, who is best known for providing music for most of Shyam Benegal's films, and for his private albums with Music Today....
. His second feature film One Dollar Curry, a comedy on immigration, was shot in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and released internationally. The film received wide press and media coverage. The music was composed by Zakir Hussain
Zakir Hussain (musician)
Zakir Hussain , , is an Indian tabla player, musical producer, film actor and composer.-Early life:Hussain was born in Mumbai, India to the legendary tabla player Alla Rakha. He attended St...
.
Vijay Singh has written and directed the film India by Song . His documentary Chami and Ana the Elephant ( Man and Elephant / L'Homme et L'Eléphant) was first shown on the French television channel Canal + before being broadcast on some 100 televisions worldwide.
Awards
- 2010: India by Song awarded the River to River Digichannel Audience Award 2010 for Best Documentary at the River to River 2010 Florence Indian Film Festival in Italy.
- 2010: Roll of Honour awarded by the Board of Governors of The Punjab Public School NabhaNabhaNabha is a city and municipal council in the Patiala district to the south-west of the Indian state of Punjab. In 1998, the annual income of Nabha state was Rs 1,50,000/-.- Princely State of Nabha :...
- 2002: Le Grand Prix des Enfants "La Titine 2002", "Festival Pour Enfants du Film d'Animation et du Film Animalier", Carouge, Geneva,Switzerland for "Chami and Ana" ("L'Homme et L'Eléphant")
- 1994:"Bourse Léonardo da Vinci" 1994 for the screenplay of Jaya GangaJaya GangaJaya Ganga is an international film made by Paris-based Indian writer, film maker and screenplay writer Vijay Singh.The film stars Asil Rais and Smriti Mishra as leads....
- 1990: Prix Villa Médicis hors les murs Award for foreign literature in 1990 for the novel Jaya GangaJaya GangaJaya Ganga is an international film made by Paris-based Indian writer, film maker and screenplay writer Vijay Singh.The film stars Asil Rais and Smriti Mishra as leads....
, In Search of the River Goddess"
Feature Films
- Jaya Ganga (based on the novel Jaya Ganga, In Search of the River Goddess): Shot in India and France, starring Smriti MishraSmriti MishraSmriti Mishra is an Indian film actor, most known for her roles in Shyam Benegal's Sardari Begum , Pamela Rooks Train to Pakistan and Vijay Singh's Jaya Ganga.-Filmography:* Sardari Begum * Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin...
, Asil Rais, Paula Klein. - One Dollar Curry: Shot in France, starring Gabriella Wright :fr:Gabriella Wright, Vikram ChatwalVikram ChatwalVikram Chatwal is an American hotelier. In April 1999, at the age of 28, he created Vikram Chatwal Hotels, an independent hotel group of nine luxury hotels in five cities. Set to have 14 Hotels in total by the end of 2009, the flagship hotel in the group is Dream Hotel.-Biography:Chatwal is of...
, Trevor Stephens, Benoît Solès :fr:Benoît Solès, Smriti MishraSmriti MishraSmriti Mishra is an Indian film actor, most known for her roles in Shyam Benegal's Sardari Begum , Pamela Rooks Train to Pakistan and Vijay Singh's Jaya Ganga.-Filmography:* Sardari Begum * Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin...
, Lakshan Abenayake, Antoine Coloma, Aurélia Nolin, Partha Majumdar, Prem Puri, Thierry Pietra, Gerald Morales, Stéphanie Guieu, Eric Moreau, Bruno Philippe.
Documentaries
- Chami and Ana the Elephant (L'Homme et l'Eléphant): Shot in Kerala, India.
- Shadi Lal, A Mystic Chef: Shot in Paris, France.
- India by Song: Shot in India.
Screenplays
- Jaya Ganga (based on the novel Jaya Ganga, In Search of the River Goddess)
- One Dollar Curry
- The Opium Symphony (based on the novel "Whirlpool of Shadows")
- Bhopali
- Anoushka
- India by Song
Theatre
- Waiting for Beckett by Godot (playwright, director).
- Hassan’s dreams (based on A Thousand and One Nights; contributor).
Quotes
-
"The beauty of man is often the child that lives on in him."
(Source: The River Goddess). -
"Only humour can conquer death."
(Source: One Dollar Curry). -
"To write is to meet solitude, face to face...nothing is more creative than a solitude where the presence of the other...is more present than ever..."
(Source: Jaya Ganga, In Search of the River Goddess). -
"When reality is bitter, let life be a dream"
(Source: India by Song)
External links
- Official Website Vijay Singh
- Official Website India by Song
- Official Website Jaya Ganga (Jaya, fille du Gange)
- Chami & Ana / Man & Elephant
- Extract of Chami & Ana the Elephant/ Man & Elephant
- Music of Jaya Ganga
- 2007: Wellesley College, Boston USA. Themes : "My Journey from the word to the Image"; "India by Song"
- Odes to imagination
- http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film-reviews/india-by-song-film-review-1004096223.storyArticle on "India by Song" in The Hollywood ReporterThe Hollywood ReporterFormerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
] - BBC article on "Jaya Ganga"
- The Guardian on "Jaya Ganga"
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2003/nov/07/franceArticle "Bollywood on Seine" in The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
] - http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117923856.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0VarietyVariety (magazine)Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
magazine on "One Dollar Curry"] - Vijay Singh, Keynote speaker, Dudley Film festival, Harvard
- "India & the Indian Diasporic Imagination", page 9 : "Vijay Singh or Choosing Paris"
- Article in "The Hindu" Interview (in French) on "India by Song" in "Le Nouvel Observateur"
- Interview on France 24 TV 26 August 2010 - Homage to Mother Teresa
- BBC - 2008