The Cinematic Lens
Emotion as an essence of visual narratives
A conversation on how cinema and photography capture truth, identity, and lived experiences. From documentaries to fictional narratives, how do these visual mediums influence the way we see the world? The panel would explore visual storytelling, representation, and the ethics of framing reality.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Faraz Arif Ansari is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning filmmaker known for their groundbreaking contributions to cinema. Identifying as queer and non-binary (they/them), Faraz began their career as a co-writer with Amole Gupte (Taare Zameen Par), later serving as Associate Director on Stanley Ka Dabba and Gippi!, and working on Deepa Bhatia’s powerful documentary Nero’s Guests.
Faraz wrote and directed Sisak—India’s first silent LGBTQ love story—winning an unprecedented 60 international awards, a milestone for Indian cinema. Their film Sheer Qorma, starring Shabana Azmi, Divya Dutta, and Swara Bhasker, became the first Indian film to win FRAMELINE: The San Francisco LGBT Film Festival, qualifying for the BAFTAs, and securing 99 international awards across 300+ festivals.
Their diverse portfolio spans fiction and non-fiction, from directing Netflix’s The Big Day to Vive Le Voyage for VICE and the Times Internet web series Dulha Wanted. Their latest film, Bun Tikki, starring Shabana Azmi, Zeenat Aman, and Abhay Deol, premiered at Palm Springs International Film Festival 2025 to standing ovations and is set for worldwide release.
Beyond filmmaking, Faraz champions inclusivity in cinema, conducting free acting workshops for India’s transgender and queer communities through TRANSaction, mentoring underprivileged children in storytelling, and leading the grassroots initiative Gift A Meal, providing food to street children in Mumbai and Delhi.
Malini Jeevarathnam, Founder of Veytikaari Productions, is a filmmaker and activist with over 12 years of experience in LGBTQ+ advocacy. She directed the documentaries Ladies and Gentlewomen and Why So Straight? and recently appeared in the Amazon Original web series Inspector Rishi.
Sudhir Srinivasan is the Executive Editor (Entertainment) at The New Indian Express. With over 15 years of experience at leading mainstream media organizations such as The Hindu and The Times of India, he is recognized for his sharp, insightful film reviews and interviews, often imbued with emotional, social, and psychological depth.
Taha Ahmad is an international multi-award winning visual artist based in India. Taha has been published by The Times and The Sunday Times UK, Vogue India, New York Times, Vogue Britain, Architectural Digest India, The Hindu, The Week, etc and have been exhibited in museums, festivals and galleries across the globe. He has worked with film directors and designers like Mira Nair, Lydia Dean Pilcher, Vishal Bhardwaj, Laetitia Colombani, Rahul Mishra and Louis Vuitton.