Danish Renzu

Danish Renzu is an Indian born Los Angeles based film director, producer, and screenwriter.[1] He is also the Founder of Renzu Films. Renzu is best known for directing and producing films like Half Widow, The illegal,[2][3] and Songs of Paradise featuring Saba Azad, Soni Razdan, Lillete Dubey,[4] currently in post production.[5][6][7][8]

Danish Renzu
Born
Kashmir, India
NationalityIndian
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles
Occupations
  • Director
  • screenwriter
  • producer
Notable workHalf Widow, The illegal

Renzu has received numerous accolades, his film The illegal as a writer and director was shortlisted for nominations for the Best Picture Category at the Academy Awards 2019.[9]

Early life and education

Danish Renzu was born in Kashmir, India.[10] In 2005, he shifted to Los Angeles for further studies,[11] where he graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and UCLA Writers' Program certification in screenwriting from the same University.[12]

Career

Renzu started directing short movies in 2015. He directed two short films In Search of America, Inshallah (2014) and First Love (2015). His first feature film Half Widow was released in 2017 and narrates the story of a woman searching for her husband against the backdrop of the Kargil War.[13][14] His second directorial film was The illegal (2019)[15] starring Suraj Sharma of Oscar-winning film Life of Pi, Shweta Tripathi, and Adil Hussain.[16] The film was shortlisted for nominations for the Best Picture Category at the Academy Awards 2019.[9]

He also directed and produced the music video Ae Savere starring Soni Razdan. His recent short film The Good News is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.[17]

Filmography
Year Film Director Writer Notes
2023Songs of Paradise Green tickY Green tickY
My Father’s Doctor Green tickY Green tickY
2022The Good News[1] Green tickY Green tickY
2019 The Illegal Green tickY Green tickY Critics’ Choice Award for Best Film, Audience Poll Award and Special Award, Best Narrative Feature, Best Feature Film and Best Director
2017Half Widow[18] Green tickY Green tickY Best feature (Audience Award), Best Director Award, (Grand Prize) Best Feature Film
2014In Search of America, Inshallah Green tickY Nominated for Award of Excellence for Best Director, Winner in Best Short Film Category

Awards and recognition
Awards and recognition
Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2021 Austin Film Festival Best Feature Film and Best Director The illegal Nominated [9][19]
2020 Sunscreen Festival Award Best Narrative Feature Won
2019 Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival (VISAFF) Critics Choice Award for Best Film Won
Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) Jury Special Prize Won
Washington DC South Asian Film Festival Best Feature Film Won
2018 Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival Vancouver Film School Scholarship Half Widow Won
Washington DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF) Best Director Award Won
New Jersey International Festival Best Feature Film (Grand Prize) Won
Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival Jury PrizeBest Director Category Won [20]
2017 South Asian Film Festival Best Feature (Audience Award) Won
ARY Film Festival Best Short Film Category In Search of America, Inshallah Won
2015 California Women’s Film Festival Award Jury Award for Best Director (Short film) Nominated
Canada Short Film Festival Award Award of Excellence for Best Director (Short film) Nominated

References
  1. Tagat, Anurag (2022-05-05). "Premiere: Watch the Teaser for Kashmiri Short Film 'The Good News' by Filmmaker Danish Renzu". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  2. "'The Illegal' movie review: A sublime take on hopes, aspirations and despair". Deccan Herald. 2021-03-23. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  3. "The Illegal Movie Review: Suraj Sharma pays the price of his American dream". India Today. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  4. Bukhtiyar, Idrees. "'Kashmir needs to have its own regional cinema'". Greater Kashmir. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  5. Dore, Shalini (2017-06-29). "AFI Alums Pitch in for Classmate's Movie". Variety. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  6. "Hrithik Roshan's girlfriend Saba Azad to play lead role in Danish Renzu's Songs Of Paradise; deets inside". Pinkvilla. 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  7. Sehgal, Chirag (2022-12-15). "Saba Azad Wraps Up Rocket Boys 2, Minimum, and Songs of Paradise Shoot; Deets Inside". News18. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  8. "Saba Azad to play Raj Begum in Danish Renzu's Songs Of Paradise - Exclusive". The Times of India. 2022-09-25. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  9. Ramanan, Manju (2021-03-21). "Oscar nominee 'The Illegal,' written and directed by Danish Renzu, to release on OTT". FilmFare. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  10. Chhibber, Mini Anthikad (2021-04-17). "Danish Renzu talks about 'The Illegal'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  11. Seta, Keyur. "We have had enough of 'Bumbro' from Kashmir: Danish Renzu on Half Widow". Cinestaan. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  12. Bhat, Adil (2017-09-19). "A window to the Valley - Danish Renzu talks about reviving cinema in Kashmir". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  13. Bhat, Niyati (2020-01-10). "Half Widow does not fall into the Bollywood trap of the formula Kashmir film". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  14. Seta, Keyur. "Half Widow review: Hopeful end to grim tale of a missing husband". Cinestaan. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  15. Seta, Keyur. "The Illegal review: This story of immigrants in the US is filled with reality and hope". Cinestaan. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  16. Roy, Lachmi Deb (25 March 2021). "'I Am An Immigrant From Assam To Delhi, So I Can Relate To 'The Illegal': Adil Hussain". Outlook India. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  17. Ramanan, Manju (2021-08-10). "Taha Shah and Soni Razdan talk of their music video 'Ae Savere', shot in Kashmir". FilmFare. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  18. HK, Varun (2021-04-02). "Cinema has a responsibility to bring people together, says 'The Illegal' director Danish Renzu". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  19. "Past Films". Austin Film Festival. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  20. "Danish Renzu honoured with Dada Sahib Palikhi Film Festival-18 Award". KNS Kashmir. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
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