Rajesh Touchriver - The Man Who Tells True Stories

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Rajesh was born in Kerala to a Malayali family. He inherited a flair for Kathakali, the classical dance of Kerala, from Siva Sankaran Nair, his father who was a veteran Kathakali artist. He also had some early training in Kalaripayattu, the martial art of Kerala. He took his Bachelor degree in Design and Direction from the School of Drama in Trissur, Kerala and directed more than 30 plays in Malayalam, English and Telugu. He worked with the National School of Drama, New Delhi as a designer in 1995. Rajesh won the Charles Wallace Trust Award and did his Masters in Visual Language/Scenography and Direction from the Wimbledon College of Art, London.

Rajesh's debut film In the Name of Buddha (2002) was premiered at the Oslo International Film Festival and won critical acclaim. The movie was nominated for the Best Debut Director category at the Cannes Film Festival.[1] Though controversial in theme, the film is a non-partisan treatment[2] of the ethnic conflict then raging in Sri Lanka with a hint of magic realism. The film was well received in many international film festivals in 2003 and won the Best Foreign Film award at the Beverly Hills International Film Festival, the Newport Beach International Film Festival and at the Wine Country International Film Festival in the same year.[3]
Following the success of In the Name of Buddha, Rajesh directed the music video for "Sunshowers" for Maya Arulpragasam (M.I.A.). She is known for her "O Saya" with A.R. Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire which was nominated for the Oscars in 2009. Rajesh directed Ente Malayalam, a promotion for the Manorama Music channel to celebrate the 50th year of Kerala formation, capturing noted Malayali achievers against the lush landscape of Kerala in evocative frames.
Rajesh directed two Telugu films in the interim: 10 the Strangers and Alex, the Blue Fox. Besides feature films and music albums/videos, he has essayed other genres including documentaries, short films, ad films, public service announcements and commercials and won many accolades

Feature films -- screenplay & direction
In the Name of Buddha (150 mins, English/Sinhalese/Tamil/Hindi, 35mm anamorphic, 2002)
10-The Strangers (125 mins, Telugu, Hindi, 35mm anamorphic, 2005)
Alex-The Blue Fox (160 mins, Telugu, 35 mm anamorphic, 2005)
ENTE...(125 mins, Malayalam, 35mm anamorphic, 2012)
PRATHYAYAM (125 mins, Telugu, 35mm anamorphic, 2012)
The Red Terror ( Under production)

Short films -- screenplay & direction
The Sacred Face (13 mins, English, 2006)
Pehachan (14 mins, Hindi, 2008)
Needalu (Shadows) (14 mins,Telugu, 2009)
Main Aur Meri Sachaien (13 mins, Hindi, 2009)
[edit]Documentaries - screenplay, direction, cinematography
Of Freedom and Fear - (30 mins, English/Telugu, DV, 2003)
Bhagnagar - (15 mins, Hindi, DV, 2003)
Agni - (34 mins, Hindi, DV, 2004)
Shanti Ki Aur - (30 mins, Hindi, DV, 2004)
A Chance to Live - (30 mins, English, DV, 2004)
Dahan - (34 mins, Hindi, DV, 2004)
Astha-An Ode to Life - (26 mins, English, DV, 2004)
Me and Us - (24 mins, English, DV, 2004)
Building Bridges - (11 mins, English, DV, 2004)
Anamika - The Nameless - (26 mins, English/Hindi/Telugu,Oriya,Kannada, DV, 2005
The Man, His Mission - (11 mins, English, DV, 2006)
Aparajitha - (26 mins, English, DV, 2006)
One Life No Price - (9 mins, English, HD, 2007)
Synergy in Action - (20 mins, English, HD, 2007)

Music Videos -- screenplay, direction
Sunshowers for M.I.A. XL Recording, London, UK (3 mins, English, Super 16 mm, 2004)
Hire Fire for Prajwala (music album containing six 4 mins songs against human trafficking, Hindi/Telugu, DV, 2004)

Commercials -- direction
Ente Malayalam - 50 yrs celebration of kerala formation (2 mins, Malayalam, 35 mm, 2006)
Whose Child ? - (30 secs, Telugu, DV, 2004)
Why? - (30 secs, Telugu, DV, 2004)
Reach Out - (30 secs, Telugu, DV, 2004)

Feature films -- production design
Quicksand - (English, 35mm, 2001)
Student # 1 - (Telugu, 35mm, 2002)
Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu - (Telugu, 35mm, 2002)
Manasantha Nuvve - (Telugu, 35mm, 2001)
Iddaru Mitralu - (Telugu, 35mm, 1999)
Kalisundaam Raa - (Telugu, 35mm, 1999)

Rajesh was awarded:
The Charles Wallace India Trust Award.- 2001
Best foreign film Award Beverly Hills International Film Festival- 2003
Best Film Award New port Beach International Film Festival - 2003
Best Film Award Wine country International Film Festival- 2003
Best Foreign Documentary film Award Action Cut International Film Festival 2006
Best Editing Award Festival De Cine De Granada - 2007
Best Documentary Film Award Hyderabad International Film Festival - 2008