Vibhu Puri is an Indian film director, writer and lyricist. A gold medalist from the

Film and Television Institute of India The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) is a film institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India and aided by the Central Government of India. It is situated on the premises of the erstwhile ...

(FTII), Vibhu Puri's debut feature as a director and producer, ''

Hawaizaada ''Hawaizaada'' () is a 2015 Indian Hindi drama film written, directed and produced by Vibhu Puri along with Reliance Entertainment. Inspired by the biography of Shivkar Bapuji Talpade, the film stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Mithun Chakraborty and Pal ...

'', featuring

Mithun Chakraborty Mithun Chakraborty (born Gouranga Chakraborty; 16 June 1950) is an Indian actor, producer and politician who predominantly worked in Hindi and Bengali language films. He is a former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament. He is the recipient of three ...

and Ayushmann Khurrana. It is the untold story of

Shivkar Bapuji Talpade Shivkar Bāpuji Talpade (1864 – 1916) was an Indian instructor in the Sir JJ School of Art with an interest in Sanskrit and in aviation. He lived in Mumbai, and is claimed to have constructed and flown an unmanned, heavier-than-air aircr ...

, who is claimed to have been the first to build a plane. In January 2015, the film opened to great reviews by critics, though it did not make a huge impact at the box office. Before making his feature, Puri assisted

Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sanjay Leela Bhansali (; born 24 February 1963) is an Indian filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and music composer who is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including four National Film Awards, ten Filmfar ...

on various feature films. He also wrote ''

Saawariya ''Saawariya'' () is a 2007 Indian Hindi-language romance film produced and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's 1848 short story ''White Nights''. The film marked the debut of Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor. Rani Muk ...

'', '' Guzaarish'' and ''

Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi ''Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi'' () is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film directed by Bela Bhansali Sehgal, starring Farah Khan, Boman Irani, Kavin Dave, Shammi, Kurush Deboo and Daisy Irani. The film takes its inspiration fro ...

'', all made by SLB Films. To add to it, Puri also penned songs for ''Guzaarish'' and ''Hawaizaada''. He also assisted

Vishal Bharadwaj Vishal Bhardwaj (born 4 August 1965) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, music composer and playback singer. He is known for his work in Hindi cinema, and is the recipient of seven National Film Awards and a Filmfare Award. Bh ...

on ''

The Blue Umbrella ''The Blue Umbrella'' is a 1980 Indian novel written by Ruskin Bond. It was adapted into 2005 Hindi film by the same name, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, which later won the National Film Award for Best Children's Film The National Film Awar ...

''. In the world of advertising, he started off as a writer in Contract Delhi before getting into filmmaking. In the last three years, he has been directing commercials. He has directed more than 150 films and has collaborated on campaigns with various agencies like Ogilvy, McCann, Leo Burnett, Scarecrow, Rediff, and Mudra amongst others for major brands like Maggi, HDFC,

Reckitt Benckiser Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, trading as Reckitt, is a British multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Slough, England. It is a producer of health, hygiene and nutrition products. The company was formed in March 1999 by the merg ...

, P&G, Zee, Heinz, Star Sports, Dabur, Parle G, Himani, Emami, and Amazon. Puri has made films for Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi agencies and brands. Besides Hindi and English, he has made ad films in various languages like Telugu, Malayalam, Haryanvi, and Bangla. Two of Puri's student films, ''Chaurus Chaand'' and '' Chabiwali Pocket Watch'', have traveled to various film festivals in India and abroad. Both of them had the unique distinction of being selected for

Indian Panorama The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), founded in 1952, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Held annually, currently in the state of Goa, on the western coast of the country, the festival aims at providing a common pla ...

. ''Chauras Chaand'' is an ode to the life and poetry of rebel Punjabi poet

Avtar Singh Sandhu Pash (9 September 1950 – 23 March 1988) was the pen name of Avtar Singh Sandhu, one of the major poets in the Punjabi literature of the 1970s. He was killed by extremists on 23 March 1988. His strongly left-wing views were reflected in his ...

('Pash'). ''Chabiwali Pocket Watch'' featured at many festivals including Cannes (where it was awarded Kodak emerging filmmaker of the world, 2006); has won various international awards, and also the national award from the Indian president. The film is set in Old Delhi and deals with story of a romantic Urdu poet now dying anonymously, and the struggle between his daughter and an opportunist publisher. This film was also India's official entry to the Student Oscars, 2006. Puri also takes workshops on the subjects of filming music and playback sequences at FTII, Pune and Whistling Woods, Mumbai. He has also taken lectures on film acting at FTTI, Pune and film and management workshop at IIM Udaipur. He has also served on the jury of the 57th National Awards, 2009.

Filmography

*''

'' (2015) (director, producer, lyrics) *''

'' (2007) (writer) *'' Guzaarish'' (2010) (writer, lyrics) *''

'' (2012) (writer) *''

'' (2005) (assisted) *''Chaurus Chaand'' (short film) *'' Chabiwali Pocket Watch'' (2006) (short film)

References

{{Vibhu Puri Hindi-language film directors