Film director, producer and actor
Anupam Sharma[1] [2] is an Australian film maker of Indian origin. He is film director, actor, film producer, and author. Sharma[3] has been widely acknowledged by Australian and Indian media as a producer who pioneered films links between India and Australia since 1997. Sharma[4] was appointed as an Australia Day Ambassador[5] and named one of the fifty most influential professionals in the Australian film industry (Encore Magazine). He is best known for producing Bollywood films filmed in Australia, including Dil Chahta Hai and Heyy Babyy. He is the director of the Australian feature film unIndian,[6] starring Australian cricketer Brett Lee, released in 2015. In 2014 the film was announced by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. As a director apart from unINDIAN he has also directed Indian Aussies (Terms & Conditions Apply), NSW Tourism Ad Campaign, Intellectual Property Awareness Foundation anti-piracy campaign and award-winning Australian feature documentary The Run.[7]
Personal life
Anupam Sharma was born in Ajmer, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. He attended high school at St. Joseph Academy in Dehradun, after which he moved to Australia to pursue a bachelor's degree in film. He followed his bachelor's degree with a master's degree in Films & Theatre from the University of New South Wales, where he wrote his thesis on Indian Cinema with Distinction.
He is married with two children.
Career
Anupam Sharma[8] was involved with a series of film and theatre projects in Sydney until he met Feroz Khan in 1998.[9] In 2000, he founded Films and Casting Temple, an award-winning film production, casting and consulting company based from Fox Studios, Sydney, working on more than 275 films, television and advertising projects[10] between India and Australia in 20 years. With the support of Ausfilm, state agencies and companies such as Atlab (now Deluxe), Cutting Edge and The Post Lounge, he started seminars in India, to inform filmmakers about how to use Australian locations and production services in their films.[11]
The Australia-India Film, Arts, Media, and Entertainment Council was formed in Sydney at the end of 2003, under the umbrella of the Australia-India Business Council. The council is headed by Anupam Sharma and enjoys significant co-operation from AusFilm and several state film agencies.[12] In 2003 Sharma line produced Janasheen.[13] In 2001, Anupam Sharma consulted on the Art Department of Baz Luhrmann, 'Moulin Rouge' starring Nicole Kidman on Indian elements.[14] Sharma was the Australian Line producer for Heyy Babyy, which was shot in Sydney[15] and MTV Roadies featured regional New South Wales, which became the highest rating ever on Indian TV in the youth music genre in 2009. It was produced in Australia by Film and Casting TEMPLE.[16]
In 2004, a delegation composed of key players from the Australian entertainment industry including Producer John Winter (Rabbit Proof Fence, Doing Time for Patsy Cline) who was also heading the delegation, Steve Cooper, M.D of the multi-award-winning Australian post-production company, BEEPS, and Shireen Ardeshir from IDP Education supported by The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) and its film chapter the Australia India Film Arts Media and Entertainment (FAME) Council, along with ausFILM, Australian Film Commission, and various State film bodies initiated by Anupam Sharma owner of Sydney-based production company Films and Casting TEMPLE pty ltd was a major player at FRAMES 2004 - the biggest Asian convention on the entertainment business which was held in Mumbai from the 15 to 17 March.[17]
In 2011, he teamed with film veteran Peter Castaldi and launched An Australian Film Initiative AAFI, to market and promote Australian screen culture in non-traditional markets. Anupam Sharma & Peter Castaldi were Festival Directors for the only Australian annual Film Festival in India, with the support of Hugh Jackman in 2011, Baz Luhrmann retrospective in 2012–2013, and Phillip Noyce retrospective in 2014–2015.[18] In 2011 Anupam was on the list of the 50 most powerful and influential professionals in the Australian film industry.[19]
In 2012, Sharma was selected as the head judge for the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) TV series Bollywood Star.[20] The four-part series follows the search for an Australian Bollywood star, who would go on to win a part in a Bollywood movie. Sharma was termed the Bollywood Czar of Australia, by broadcaster Geire Kami. He was also called the most high-profile Indian film professional in Australia, by Screen International.[21] Also in 2012, he was appointed Australia Day Ambassador[22] for his work in films between Australia and India, an appointment he has been receiving every year since 2013.[23] In 2013, Sharma was commissioned to direct a film by the Australian National Maritime Museum. Titled Indian Aussies - terms & conditions apply, the short tongue-in-cheek documentary humorously explores various aspects of being an Indian Australian.[24]
Sharma directed a series of television commercials for Destination NSW, which were rolled out throughout 2014. The commercials represent one of the largest investments the state has made in India.[25] In August 2014 Anupam was appointed as the first ambassador of the Parramasala Arts Festival.[26] The directorial debut by Anupam,[27] UNindian[28] starring Tannishtha Chatterjee and Brett Lee[29] released in October 2015 in Australia and August 2016 in India.[30] Anupam then produced and directed a documentary on Pat Farmer's epic run called The Run.[31] Sharma is developing a slate of Indian-Australian film projects.[32][33] The first is a called Honour[34] and the other is a documentary called Bollywood Downunder[35] [36] - showcased at Cannes 2022.[37][38] The documentary, which includes stars such as Farhan Akhtar, Anupam Kher, Ritesh Sidhwani, Srishti Behl, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Fardeen Khan, and Ashutosh Gowariker is being edited by Karin Steininger(editor of Oscar, Emmy winning and Bafta nominated 'Remembering Anne frank'.[39] Sharma takes his next steps towards the Australia India Film Council - through which he hopes to further bilateral film links between the two countries.[40][41]
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