Vibha Bakshi

Vibha Bakshi (born 23 September 1970) is an Indian filmmaker, journalist, and founder of Responsible Films. She is known for her films that highlight issues of gender inequality. Vibha's most notable films as both director and producer include Daughters of Mother India and Son Rise. Both films are winners of the National Film Awards from the President of India.[1] She is the recipient of four National Film Awards from the President of India.

Vibha Bakshi
Born (1970-09-23) 23 September 1970
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
NationalityIndian
EducationBachelor of science degree
Alma mater
OccupationFilmmaker
Known for
Awards4 National Film Awards

Vibha has been awarded the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the Boston University in 2018 for her work as a journalist and filmmaker.[2]

Early life and education

Vibha was born on 23 September 1970 in Mumbai, India. Her father, Ved Chhabra, is a businessman and was named among the Top 100 business leaders by Forbes in 2018,[3][4] and her mother Geeta Chhabra, is a poet and writer. Vibha attended Convent of Jesus and Mary and St Xaviers College, Mumbai. She went to the United States for her undergraduate study in Journalism and Broadcasting. She graduated with a Bachelor of science degree in Communication from Boston University in 1993[2] and completed a diploma course on broadcasting at New York University in 1999.[5][6]

Career

Vibha started her career in broadcast journalism with Plus Channel, Mumbai. She later joined CNBC (India) as part of GE's founding team.[7]

In 2004, Vibha became co-producer with Oscar winner Maryann DeLeo. Their films include Terror at Home (2005) for Lifetime TV and was part of the United States Government's Emmy Award-winning campaign to stop violence against women – and HBO's film Too Hot NOT to Handle (2006) on the issue of Global warming.[8][5]

Her work includes short films on the jewel palaces of India for Taj Hotels, including for Falaknuma Palace,[9] Lake Udaipur Palace,[10] Umaid Bhawan Palace, and Rambagh Palace.[11]

Vibha's film for the Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata, a ₹4 billion philanthropy initiative funded by Tata Trusts and led by Ratan Tata, was aired across 29 channels in India in English and 9 regional languages.

She directed and produced the Women Safety Campaign for the Mumbai Police in 2015. She was felicitated by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis for this work.[12]

Her latest gender rights films Son Rise and Daughters of Mother India are changing the narrative on gender inequality and gender justice globally.[13]

Daughters of Mother India

Vibha's film Daughters of Mother India, won the 62nd National Film Awards in 2015 for Best Film on Social Issues.[14][15] As director and producer, she received two awards from the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. National Film Awards Jury described the film for turning the spotlight on the burning issue of rape and gender violence in the country. The film had a prime-time simulcast release in India across Viacom 18's 10 channels in 8 languages, a first for a documentary film in India.[16][17][18]

In 2017, Global Creative Index rated Daughters of Mother India as the Most Awarded PR Program in the World. Vibha's film was nominated at the Cannes Glass Lions award for 'Media Advocacy that Changed the World'. Daughters of Mother India was screened for over 150,000 officers of the Indian Police Force as a gender-sensitization and training tool for the Police to deal with gender-related crimes. It has also been incorporated into the curriculum of 200 schools in Maharashtra.[12][5]

Daughters of Mother India was selected as the opening film at the Indian Panorama during the 46th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), held in November 2015 in Goa. The festival was hosted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Directorate of Film Festivals.[19]

Son Rise

Son Rise follows men from India’s seat of patriarchy, Haryana who are trying to break the shackles of patriarchy and fight for women's rights.[20] Vibha has been awarded the 66th National Film Awards for Best Film Non-Feature as both director and producer, the highest honour for cinema in the country. Son Rise also won Best Editing Non-Feature.[21] In 2021, Son Rise was selected by United Nations, to be screened as part of UN Women’s global HeForShe campaign across 71 countries.[22] The film was unveiled by United Nations Under-Secretary-General Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka[23] followed by screenings by Consulates and Embassies of the World in India.[24][25]

The film kicked off the inaugural Bloomberg Equality Summit in Mumbai, the first in Asia.[26] Son Rise was the official selection for the Indian Panorama section at the 50th International Film Festival of India, Goa.[27]

The film won the Jury Award for Best Documentary at the Mumbai International Film Festival and Best Documentary at the New York Indian Film Festival.[28]

Son Rise was recently screened at World Expo 2020, Dubai's largest venue, Jubilee stage. The screening was followed by a call of action by 50 countries who pledged for gender equality - led by United Nations, New Zealand, India and the Women’s Pavilion at Expo 2020. The event was attended by the cultural figures, diplomatic community, business leaders, academics and change-makers to spotlight a shared human rights and women’s rights issue — violence against women.[29][30]

Awards and nominations

In 2018, Bakshi was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from her alma mater Boston University for her work as a journalist and filmmaker.[2][31] She was the commencement speaker at Boston University's School of Communications. Vibha is the winner of the Vogue India - Women of the Year - 2021 Award for her films that have contributed towards gender equality and gender justice globally.[32]

Year Award Category Work Result Ref(s)
2015 62nd National Film Awards Best Film on Social Issues Daughters of Mother IndiaWon [33]
2016 The Cannes Glass Lions award Media AdvocacyNominated [5]
New York Indian Film Festival Best documentaryWon [34]
CAM International Film Festival Documentary Film categoryWon [35]
New Zee Indian Women Awards EntertainmentWon [36]
Gold Stevie PR Campaign of The YearWon [37]
The Cannes Glass Lions award Crisis and Urgency PRNominated [38]
SABRE Awards South Asia Public Affairs & Government RelationsWon [39]
2017 Mumbrella Asia Awards Bravery categoryWon [40]
Spikes Asia Awards Crisis Communication & Issue ManagementWon [41]
Global Creative Index Most awarded PR Campaign in the worldWon
2019 66th National Film Awards Best Film Non-Feature Son RiseWon [42]
Best Editing Non-FeatureWon [42]
2020 MIFF Awards Best Documentary FilmWon [43]
Indian Panorama AwardWon [44]
New York Indian Film FestivalWon [45]
PRWeek Global Awards Best Campaign in Asia PacificWon [46]

Personal life

Vibha is married to Vishal Bakshi, former Goldman Sachs Head Private Equity India[6] and now founder of Private Equity firm Avatar Growth Capital Partners.[47] The couple has two boys, Varun and Vir.[48]

References
  1. D'Mello, Yolande. "We saw women cops get emotional". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  2. Haziq, Saman (27 October 2017). "'Don't change the world, be the change'". Khaleej Times.
  3. Chowdhury, Farhana (23 November 2017). "Specialists of a niche genre". Khaleej Times.
  4. Maceda, Cleofe. "Revealed: Top Indian business leaders in Arab world". Gulf News. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  5. Volmers, Eric (26 January 2017). "Documentary Daughters of Mother India tackles horror with hope". Calgary Herald.
  6. "rediff.com US edition: 'A terrible visa which inherently isolates women'". Rediff.com. 19 April 2001.
  7. D’Cruz, Dolcy (20 November 2019). "A world of gender equality". Herald Goa.
  8. Bhandaram, Vishnupriya (8 March 2016). "Daughters of Mother India: Vibha Bakshi's documentary is an exploration of why our society keeps failing women". Firstpost.
  9. "The Enchanting Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad". Taj Hotels.
  10. "Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur". Taj Hotels.
  11. "Experience the Life at Rambagh Palace, Jaipur". Taj Hotels.
  12. "'Daughters of Mother India' in syllabus of 200 Maharashtra schools". Business Standard. 28 April 2015.
  13. "Vibha Bakshi's film 'Son Rise' is knocking down patriarchy world over". Lifestyle Asia India. 5 August 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  14. Mohanka, Payal (4 January 2016). "'Daughters of Mother India' Breaks the Silence on Gender Violence". The Quint.
  15. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (26 March 2015). "Documentary about gang rape wins Indian national film award". The Guardian.
  16. Bangs, Molly (4 December 2015). "Documentary Teaches Indian Police The Reality Of Reporting Rape". HuffPost.
  17. Nyay, Bushan (15 December 2015). "India's Viacom18 to Air Doc on Delhi Gang Rape Case Aftermath". The Hollywood Reporter.
  18. Kumar, Anuj (17 December 2015). "Finding hope amidst hysteria". The Hindu.
  19. "'Cinemawala', Nirbhaya docu opens Indian Panorama film fest". The Indian Express. 18 January 2016.
  20. Joshi, Namrata (25 April 2019). "Consulates to host screening of Son Rise". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  21. Mitra, Shilajit (11 August 2019). "Filmmaker Vibha Bakshi wins National Award for her documentary 'Son Rise'". The New Indian Express.
  22. "'Son Rise' to represent India at the Festival of Feature and Television Films of the SCO". The Hindu. 30 June 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  23. Ghosh, Labonita (10 February 2019). "Heartland heroes". Ahmedabad Mirror.
  24. Joshi, Namrata (25 April 2019). "Consulates to host screening of Son Rise". The Hindu.
  25. "Mumbai consulates came together to support Vibha Bakshi's Son Rise". The New Indian Express. 5 May 2019.
  26. "Bloomberg Business of Equality Mumbai". Bloomberg Live. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  27. "A World of Gender Equality". 20 November 2019.
  28. "MIFF Awards 2020".
  29. "دول العالم تتعهد بالتضامن لإنهاء العنف القائم على النوع الاجتماعي". nawa3em.
  30. "Nations pledge global solidarity to end gender-based violence during special screening of award-winning documentary 'Son Rise' at Expo 2020 Dubai". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  31. "Honorary Degree Goes to Filmmaker Shining a Light on Gender Violence". Bostonia. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  32. "Meet Vibha Bakshi, the filmmaker who finds the most extraordinary stories in the unlikeliest of places". Vogue India. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  33. Chatte, Sachin (24 November 2015). "Cinema as an educative medium". The Navhind Times.
  34. Maskeri, Anju (3 May 2015). "The conspiracy of silence has been broken: Vibha Bakshi". Mid-Day.
  35. "'Daughters of Mother India' Wins First Prize at CAM International Film Festival". India West. 1 November 2016. Archived from the original on 13 July 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  36. "Indian Women Awards Categories, Zee Women Awards 2016 Categories". zeenews.india.com.
  37. "Public Relations Awards Winners | Stevie Awards". stevieawards.com.
  38. "Cannes Lions 2016: Four Indian entries vie for glory in the Glass Lions shortlist – ET BrandEquity". The Economic Times.
  39. "Daughters Of Mother India Takes Top Honors At 2016 South Asia SABRE Awards".
  40. Dickinson, Eleanor (23 February 2017). "Mumbrella Asia Awards winners 2017". Mumbrella Asia.
  41. "Spikes Asia Awards". Spikes Asia. pp. 237–281.
  42. "National Awards Winners 2018: Complete list of winners of National Awards 2018". Times of India.
  43. "MIFF Awards 2020 | Mumbai International Film Festival". miff.in.
  44. "Vibha Bakshi's film 'SON RISE' wins the Indian Panorama 2020 award at IFFI". MediaBrief. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  45. "Indian movies honoured at virtual 20th New York Indian Film Festival; 'Son Rise', 'Moothon' win big". The Economic Times. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  46. "PRWeek Global Awards Winners 2020 - Best Campaign: Asia Pacific". PRWeek. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  47. Balakrishnan, Reghu (29 June 2016). "Vishal Bakshi quits Goldman Sachs to set up private equity business". Mint.
  48. Saha, Pashupati (2 January 2016). "An attempt to change". The Statesman. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
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