Meet Manjari Makijany
On the evolving list of trailblazing female filmmakers, please add Manjari Makijany to your list, asap!
The Mumbai-born filmmaker who directed Disney’s first live-action film with an Indian lead! The film, Spin (2021) centers around Rhea Khumar, portrayed by newcomer Avantika Vandanapu, an Indian- American teen finding her place in the world through EDM and learning to DJ!
Music is immensely essential to Bollywood films and their subcultures! Makijany has found the sweet spot to embody a younger interpretation of Desi music cultures in addition to the beauty within traditional Indian music/music structures.
This esteem for film is reflected in her film Skater Girl (2021). There are far too many stories that are ignored for being too niche, or not trendy enough. Oftentimes the mainstream does the ultimate disservice to under-told stories of real people! Mankijany’s projects aspire to shift that! It starts with a story and Makijany knows how to devise narratives that have strict tones, establish varied aspects of race/ethnicity, and introduce underrepresented communities & sub-groups to the pop culture current. In her interview with Women and Hollywood, Manjari exclaims:
I believe local stories that are inspiring have a universal appeal and can transcend cultures and borders. There is something so resilient about the human spirit that when an underdog conquers against all odds we all want to celebrate that triumphant and gratifying emotion.
In Skater Girl, a young girl in a remote village in India is introduced to the underground art of skateboarding! The radical coming-of-age tale refuses to abide by normal expectations of a young South Asian girl. The sport of skateboarding has grown a cult following throughout India like in Mankijany’s hometown of Mumbai or Kovalum, and various other smaller states. Actress, Rachel Saanchita Gupta, serves as an authentic representation of Indigenous North Asian culture, visually and aesthetically, especially in her role as Prerna in the film. Manjari Makijany makes spaces for both newcomers and genuine portrayals of distinct Asian demographics and cultures on her platform.
Fellow star actress, Avantika Vandanapu at just 16 years old, has been inspired and revitalized by her part in Spin, excited to embark on bringing her flare of new wave Indian-American culture to larger screens! Check out her interview with People Magazine for more. It’s clear that Makijany holds a noticeable grip on flipping the script when it comes to switching up story styles, themes, and messages when it comes to including Asian, South Asian and Indian-American cultures into American film and TV.
You can find more of Makijany’s latest and upcoming projects on her website!
