Amole Gupte

Born in 1962, in Mumbai (India). He is a director, writer, producer, actor and child rights activist. He has been working for over 15 years in theatre, cinema and art for children. In 2007 he participated in the making of the feature film LIKE STARS ON EARTH (TAARE ZAMEEN PAR, 2007), which was India’s official entry at the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. As an actor he starred in Vishal Bhardwaj’s KAMINEY (2009), in Subhash Kapoor’s PHAS GAYE RE OBAMA (2010), and in Santosh Sivan’s URUMI (2011). In 2011 he directed the feature film STANLEY’S TIFFIN BOX (STANLEY KA DABBA), which was screened at the GEX 2011, in the Elements +6 section. He also paints and writes poetry.

Director’s statement

“Be it SAINT TUKARAM (SANT TUKARAM) or THE CLOUD-CAPPED STAR (MEGHE DHAKA TARA), be it THIRSTY (PYAASA) or TWO ACRES OF LAND (DO BIGHA ZAMEEN), why is it that these masterpieces of Indian cinema choke me repeatedly and render me speechless? The threads that wove those tales were dipped in the truth of human condition. That was the awakening point of pure emotion for me, an instinctive reaction to simply enacted truth. No hyperbole. No flogging… only wrenching… Possible only when you face yourself bare, in the mirror of truth”.
“In my case, the mirrors of truth that carry me on their sturdy shoulders are children. They save me from the pitfalls of excess and goad me with their transparent demeanour and honest engagement. Hope to never leave their kingdom… the comfort, too dear to trade for anything at all. COUNTING DREAMS is part of this priceless life’s journey charted by children for me for which I am ever thankful to them but can’t meet their eye and tell them… Because, they stand tall”.