Kovid Gupta

Kovid Gupta
Born Kovid Gupta
1988
Occupation Author, screenwriter, filmmaker, social activist
Nationality India, United States
Alma mater Cornell University
The University of Texas at Austin
Genre Fiction, Non-fiction
Notable works Kingdom of The Soap Queen: The Story of Balaji Telefilms
Redrawing India: The Teach For India Story

Kovid Gupta (born 1988) is an Indian-American author, screenwriter, filmmaker, and social activist. He is best known for his non-fiction books Kingdom of The Soap Queen: The Story of Balaji Telefilms and Redrawing India: The Teach For India Story

Early life

Kovid Gupta belongs to Houston, Texas.[1]" Born in an immigrant family, he grew up with a strong fascination for Bollywood films, [2] and has credited them for his passion for Indian art and culture.

He attended the University of Texas at Austin where he received his Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Arts. Followed by this, he pursued his Masters of Business Administration from Cornell University. [3]

Career

Gupta with Anu Aga and Rahul Bose at the launch of Redrawing India: The Teach For India Story

Kovid began his career by working at Teach For India, followed by which he took up screenwriting for Indian television soap operas. [4]". He went on to work for Balaji Telefilms, where he authored the hugely successful Kingdom of The Soap Queen: The Story of Balaji Telefilms. He later joined Rajshri Productions to assist Sooraj Barjatya on blockbuster hit Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. He currently serves as the Head of Business Development at Vinod Chopra Films.

As an author, Kovid has received widespread acclaim on his books. Joginder Tuteja of Bollywood Hungama wrote that "young first time author Kovid Gupta attempts something new by telling the tale of Ekta Kapoor" in his book Kingdom of The Soap Queen: The Story of Balaji Telefilms and that " this book turns out to be good affair indeed that aims at inspiring a reader to dream big and work hard towards accomplishing all of that despite the odds" [5]

Vanita Kohli-Khandekar of Business Standard wrote that "Unlike most book writers who tackle Indian television", Kovid "doesn't come with the air of someone who thinks it is beneath him to comment on this (television). His strengths are "his honest, non-judgemental look at the world of television soaps."[6]

Kovid Gupta is also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of India Kids, a nonprofit organization that empowers orphan children across India to reach their full potential.

Bibliography

Filmography

Assistant Director

Television

Screenwriter

Quotes

"You have to believe in your ability to conquer whatsoever dream you have. You must dream asleep, you must dream awake. If you are entirely focused on that one big dream you have for yourself, there is no way any person or any force can stop you from achieving it." [7]"

“I disagree that we’re just here to entertain — if we’re not driving social change, we’re not (as screenwriters) doing our job!” [8]"

"We are on the cusp of an industry-wide renaissance!" [9]"

"Social messaging on TV has to be done under the umbrella of mass television; you have to have the fancy costumes, the melodrama and the tears in order to get people to watch the show. Once they're watching,you subliminally slip in your social messages If we can match mass appeal with the correct amount of social messaging we can actually create magic." [10]"

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Book Review: Kingdom of The Soap Queen". Mid-Day. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "He's a Fly Guy: Meet Kovid Gupta, Bollywood Director in the Making". Kama. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  3. ↑ "Kovid Gupta". HarperCollins Publishers India. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  4. ↑ "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Assistant Director Kovid Gupta on Carving a Path into Bollywood.". Business Standard. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Book Review: Kingdom of The Soap Queen". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Kyunkii Writer Bhi Kabhi Fan Tha.". Business Standard. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  7. ↑ "Indian-American Kovid Gupta Marks his Big Screen Debut as Assistant Director of 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo'". Brown Girl Magazine. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "After the Delhi Gang Rape, Indian TV Dramas Go Feminist". Global Post. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "Kingdom of The Soap Queen". Metrognome. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  10. ↑ "Pen Pals: Rashmi Sharma Interviews Kovid Gupta". Bloody Good Book. Retrieved 1 August 2015.

External links

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