Bio of Harikumar Pillai :

Harikumar Pillai, an alumnus of the prestigious FILM SCHOOL (FTII PUNE,INDIA)1992, is a Sound Recordist/Designer based in India, Mumbai. He is working for the last 17yrs in Feature Films, Documentaries,Commercials and Television for National and International Productions. He was born and brought up in the city of Kolkata where his initial exposure to the cinema happened through BBC B/W documentaries and European and Asian Films. His film PEEPLI LIVE(Produced by Actor Aamir Khan),was one of the biggest hits of the year 2010,This got him accolades for his work as sound designer and two nominations for best sound design including for Filmfare award 2011.PEEPLI LIVE was also India's offcial entry into Academy awards(Oscar) and first ever Indian feature film at Sundance Film Festival in 2011. His credits include many award winning Feature films, Short films,Documentaries,namely Feature Fims : Peepli live(Sound designer) -Anusha Rizvi,Aamir Khan productions-2008-09 ( India's Official entry into Academy Awards 2011), Vastuhara (1991, Kerala State award for Best feature film ) Documentaries : Mohua Memoirs -Dir Vinod Raja,Grassroots Media ( 2008 ,MIFF Best long form documentary and critics award ) , TCF Foundation Rajat Nagpal,United Nations ( 2006, IDPA Award for best corporate documentary) ,Shipwreckers Micheal Kot,NFBC, National Geographic,CANADA ( 2005, Best documentary/Best director Golden Sheaf Award, Canada), Four Seasons Mosiac-Ann Shin,CBC CANADA ( Gemini and Chris award 2005 ), Weather ReportBrenda Longfellow,NFBC, Canada (2005 Many International festivals ) ,Running Dry -James Thebaut,Carnegie Foundation,USA (2003,Awards at Many International Festivals ) ,Bombay Eunuch Alexandra Shiva,USA (2001,Many International festivals ) Short Films : The Road Home- Dir Rahul Gandotra,2008 ( 2010, Runners up at Student Oscar, Nominated for Live action Short category at Academy Awards 2012 ), 11Weeks-Dipesh Jain, USC,2008 ( 2008, Sloan Award ) ,God s Own Devil -Alka Mehta -2007 (Selected for Cannes Film Festival - 2007 ), Monsoon -Shyam Balse ( 2006, Mutiple awards at US Film Festivals), Memories of Fear Madhushree Datta ( Majlis productions, Distinction National Award for Best film for social cause 1996 ), Rajnimukh-Diploma Film (FTII)-1991 ( Selected for Oberhausen Film festival from best of FTII student Films,Sanmarcattani (ITALY) Film festival-1992 ), TV Serials-Surabhi-(1995,Cinema Vison India) He just completed working on a US feature The Letters-Dir Bill Riead,Cinemawestfilm( USA ), A biopic on the life of Mother Teresa. His forthcoming releases include Chittagong-Dir Bedabrata Pain, June B films,Patang-Dir Prashant Bhargava, Khushi Films ( USA ) and Chal Pichchur Banate Hain- Dir Pritish Chakravarty,Twilight Entertainment. His future projects include a Documentary on Folk Music to be shot in Western and South Africa,featuring several legendary musicians, a US Feature film in the back drop of Afgan war and drug trade. Another cross over film starring a Holiwood star and a documentary on a beverage to be shot round the world including India. He also conducts workshops on Sound for Cinema at various Film and Media schools includng FTII Pune, SRFTII Kolkata,WWI Mumbai etc and is happy to share his knowledge and expertise.