Ram Gopal Varma

Ram Gopal Varma is an Indian film director, screenwriter, playback singer, and producer, known for his works in Telugu cinema and Bollywood. He directed films across multiple genres, including parallel cinema and docudrama noted for their gritty realism, technical finesse, and craft. In 1999, he has garnered the National Film Award for scripting, political drama, Shool - "For unveiling the complete collapse of the socio-political system. A very effective portrayal of the determined fight of a single citizen in the centre of a facade of democracy", as cited by the Jury. In 2004, He was featured in the BBC World series Bollywood Bosses.
Starting his career as a civil engineer, he made an entry into Telugu cinema, with the path-breaking crime thriller, Siva (1989) screened at the 13th International Film Festival of India, and has garnered Varma, the state Nandi Awards for Best direction, Best first film of a director, and the Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu. Siva explores the concepts of student exploitation by anti-social behavior and the impact of crowd psychology. Subsequently, the film was included in CNN-IBN's list of 100 greatest Indian films of all time. He then experimented with the Neo-noir, Kshana Kshanam (1991), the sleeper hit won him another Nandi Award for Best Direction, and the Nandi Award for Best Screenplay Writer. The 1993 political drama, Gaayam received six state Nandi Awards. In 1999, He directed Prema Katha for which he received his third Nandi Award for Best Director.