Hi,
I'm Shubhra Chatterji!
Filmmaker
What I do best, is tell stories – the story of India,
and her people.
I research, I write, I develop long and short-format
IPs and I direct.
I work at the intersection of non-fiction and fiction, a sweet-spot that combines narrative storytelling with factual entertainment, and it is in the seamless, sometimes quirky merging of the two that I find joy.
I have 18 years of experience in the entertainment industry, and 13 years as an independent Director/Creative Director/Showrunner of non-fiction programming (both long and short format) for TV, Web, OTT, and Brand Films.
I am as conversant with studio-based multi-camera set-ups as with the single/two-camera, often guerrilla demands of shooting a documentary/docuseries.
My Work So Far.
Recent/Current Work:
Director
Rainbow Rishta (Unscripted, Docuseries, Amazon Prime Video Originals) 2023
6 episodes of 30 minutes each, released Nov 2023.
Director, Researcher, Writer
Lost Recipes (Non-Fiction, TV Series, Follow-Doc, Epic Channel) 2022, 2019, 2015
27 episodes, shot over three seasons, showcasing intangible and tangible heritage through heirloom recipes and food stories.
Screenplay Writer
Ishq Mastana (Fiction, Short, 'Feels Like Ishq' anthology, Netflix) 2021
Writer, Researcher
Nomad Chef (Non-Fiction, Follow-Doc) 2024
Five episodes, currently in production - on the food of the Indian Himalayas, produced by Supari Studios.
Created By (Concept, Direction)
Rasa, by the Leela (Brand Films) 2024
9 episodes, exploring the cultural and aesthetic heritage of India via the Navrasa, each film anchored by an iconic Indian personality (Manushi Chillar, Kailash Satyarthi, Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash etc) Produced by Collective Artists Network.
1st Job
2nd Assistant Director to Sudhir Mishra on a feature film, Khoya Khoya Chand (2007)
12 Years of Directing
Directed over 260 hours of non-fiction content, for TV, digital platforms and brand films, OTT
Big Leap
Chakh Le India (2011-2012), a food-travel series for
NDTV Good Times, first directorial project. Shot 63 episodes across two seasons.
Screenwriter
Other than writing most of what I’ve directed, I undertake both fiction & non-fiction writing
projects. My most recent has been a short for a Netflix anthology /a food-series on the Himalayas.
Won an Award
Won the ITA award 2013 for Best Travel Show on Indian Television, for Chakh le India.
A Book
My extensive body of work showcasing India’s Culinary heritage has led to a book deal with Hachette India, and I’m currently writing a book chronicling the
culinary history of India.
Tons Valley Shop
In 2020, locked down in our home in upper Tons Valley
of Uttarkhand, I used my time and storytelling skills to tell the story of the farmers of the Tons Valley and have co-founded www.tonsvalley.shop
@historywali
A micro-blog (on Instagram), initially a space to document my travels, is now my online (sometimes offline) identity, and a platform for innovative
and constant content creation – telling stories from across India.
History On A Plate
HOAP is an Instagram - LIVE series that ran for 100 episodes in 2020-21. It gave way to a number of online culinary workshops and study-circles.
A List of Key Projects Undertaken
Created By - Concept, Research, Script, Direction:
India On A Plate – an 18-part series that tells the stories of some of India’s most popular dishes. For Indiatimes, 2018 Ghar Sa Yummy with Ranveer Brar - a 65-episode table-top cooking series that showcased recipes from around the country, made easy for the desi home-cook, for Living Foodz (Zee5). 2019
Rasa - a series of Brand Films for the Leela Hotels (ongoing)
Research, Script, Direction:
Lost Recipes - a non-fiction, food-history series chronicling the culinary history of India through recipes that have been forgotten and lost in time. For Epic TV Networks (2015, 2019, 2021-22)
Indipedia – an 18-part scripted non-fiction series that showcases the different aspects unique to India, and dig deep into Indian Culture and Philosophy to explain them! For Epic TV Networks (2017, 2018)
Directed By:
Chakh Le India (NDTV Good Times) - 2011/2012 - won the ITA Award for Best Food Show TV Ka Pehla Radio Show (Sony Mix) – 2013
Style Police (UTV Bindaas) – 2012, 2013
Cook, Eat, Party with Vicky Ratnani (NDTV Good Times) - 2013
Ekaant (Epic Television Networks) - 2013 to 2015
Ekaant Sarhad Paar (Epic Television Networks) - 2016
Thank God It's Fryday with Ranveer Brar (Zoom TV) - 2016
Indipedia (Epic Television Networks) – 2017
Station Master’s Tiffin, a TV series with Ranveer Brar for Living Foodz (Zee) (2018)
Rainbow Rishta, a six-part docu-series for Amazon Prime Video, produced by VICE India (2023)
Creative Director:
Ishaan (Disney) - 2010 - Fiction, Associate Creative Director
Ekaant (Epic Television Networks) - 2013 to 2015
Ekaant Sarhad Paar (Epic Television Networks) - 2016
Khwabon Ka Safar With Mahesh Bhatt (Epic Television Networks) - 2015
India's Next Top Model (MTV) - 2015, 2016, 2017
Indipedia (Epic Television Networks) - 2017
Regiment Diaries (Epic Television Networks) – 2018, 2019, 2020
Research/Written By:
Revealed: Shah Rukh Khan (Discovery Networks) 2010
Chakh Le India - Kachcha Raasta, Research & Content (NDTV GoodTimes) 2011-2012 Ekaant, Story & Screenplay (Epic Television Networks) 2013 - 2016
Thank God It's Friday, Research & Content (Zoom TV) 2016
India's Next Top Model, Writer (MTV) 2015, 2016, 2017
Indipedia, Research, Content, Screenplay (Epic Television Networks) 2017
Dass Dev, Associate writer. (Feature Film for Sudhir Mishra) 2008 - 2018
Indian Food Classics, Research, Scripts - a TV series for Living Foodz (Zee). 2020
Code M, Screenplay (Web-series on ALT Balaji) 2019-2020
Grand Trunk Rasoi S1 and S2, Research, Scripts – a TV series for Zee Zest. 2021
Ishq Mastana, Screenplay (short film, part of the Feels Like Ishq anthology on Netflix India) 2021 WIP – A feature film for Yash Raj Films - (Story and Screenplay), Dir: Namrata Rao
Advertising and Short Format:
Creative Consultant
TVC for Junior Horlicks with Bubblewrap Films - April 2018
Pehli - a series on Pioneering Women of India, by EPIC Television Networks - Sept 2014 - Sept 2015
Director
Digital Shorts - GQ Nexa styling videos with Akshay Tyagi for Conde Nast.
Previous Work (Film):
Director’s Assistant (D.A.) on Hindi Feature Film, Shaurya, directed by Samar Khan. (Released 2008)
2nd Assistant Director on Sudhir Mishra’s Khoya Khoya Chand (Released Dec 2007)
Food Studies:
My first directorial project was a food-travel series for NDTV Good Times - Chakh Le India. Thereafter, Food-based content quickly became my 'specialization', I'd shoot one food show a year on average, and began to consult on food research, concept creation, creative direction, and writing, other than directing. In 2020, my years of work on food research while traveling around India came to a head with a number of Food Studies Workshops - on Food of The Mughals, the Nawabi states, Tribal Foods, and Fermented Foods which I facilitated along with standalone lectures on the Food of Kashmir, the North East, Coorg. These Workshops have continued since with most having repeats.
I also teach the Food x Media Moddule at the Studying Food Workshop by Kurush Dalal x Gyanfactory .
Academic Qualifications:
2021 Post Graduate Diploma in Classical Indian Aesthetics from Jnanapravaha, Mumbai.
2006 Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication, Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC), Pune (Specialization in Audio Visual Production).
2004 B A (Economics), Symbiosis Institute of Arts and Commerce, Pune
Media Links/Coverage & Articles:
Interview with Khaki Lab: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzTjFk97MHg