I have been awarded a Certificate by the Maulana Azad National Urdu University for attending a workshop on “Documentary Film Making”. 

 The Instructional Media Centre, MANUU in association with Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IPDA), Mumbai conducted the workshop on ‘Documentary Film Making’ from March 16-18, 2023.

Mohammed Mujahid Ali, Producer-1, IMC was the workshop convenor and Rizwan Ahmed, Director, IMC was the workshop director.

The certificates were presented by MANUU Vice-Chancellor Syed Ainul Hasan at the ceremony attended by Ishtiaque Ahmed, Registrar on March 18, 2023.

The resource persons for the workshop were Sanskar Desai, Filmmaker, script writer and President of Indian Documentary Producers Association, Kamlesh K Mishra, award winning writer-director, and documentary filmmaker Santosh Pathare.

The topics covered during the workshop included:

Introduction to documentaries.

Types of documentaries and genres.

How to conceptualize a documentary.

Importance of Research and types of research.

How to create a documentary/story.

Biographical documentaries.

Acting and interacting with other actors.

How to make a documentary on a living person and a documentary on a person who is no more.

How to make a documentary when subject is inanimate object or a Concept.

Creating a visual story.

Editing and background music.

The use of voice over.

Overall making of a documentary.

Permissions and Marketing of films.

 International cricketer Mohammed Siraj of the Indian cricket team from Hyderabad, and international boxer Nikhat Zareen are among the recipients of the NSI Global Council awards which were presented in Hyderabad on March 18, 2023. Home minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali presented the awards to all the recipients at a function at Hotel Taj Deccan.

The awards have been instituted by NSI Global Council chairman Nawab Shaik Ibrahim who is also the Trade commissioner, India Tunisia Trade Council in association with Mohammed Imran (Kabeer Khan), national secretary, Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Forum, with headquarters in Delhi.

The “International Legendary awards” are being given to honour those individuals who have made the country proud with the significant achievements,” Nawab Shaik Ibrahim said. “The awardees were picked and chosen based only on their merit and achievements,” Kabeer Khan said.

Home minister Mahmood Ali who presented the awards lauded the organisers for instituting the awards to recognise those individuals who have made significant contribution in their sphere and field of activity. “The choice of names shows how meticulous the organisers have been in identifying the recipients for their work,” senior actor Suman Talwar said. Suman has been in the film industry for 45 years portraying roles as a hero, protagonist and important roles in major films.

“I am happy to have been selected for the award. It is a privilege indeed. I am unable to be physically present at the awards due to my prior commitments. I thank the organises for selecting me for this award,” Indian team cricketer Mohammed Siraj said. Siraj’s brother received the award on behalf of his brother. Boxer Nikhat Zareen’s award was received by her father on her behalf.

“It is indeed a matter of great honour to have been chosen for this award. This award is valuable as it comes on the occasion of my 35^th years in journalism,” Journalist Chilkuri Sushil Rao, one of the recipients, said at the function.

Tsiory Randriannarivony of the Embassy of the Republic of Madagascar and Bohleoki Tlhaku Morojele from the High Commission of the Kingdom of Lesotho in India, and Prof (Dr) Diwakar Sukul, founder-director Kamkus Clinic, London were also among those who were honoured on the occasion.

The awardees on the occasion include: Suman Talwar, actor, Asif Bhamla, founder and chairman of Bhamla Foundation, Vibhuti Jain, Founder, Touch a Life Foundation, Rina Hindocha, Co-founder, Touch a Life Foundation and yoga professional, Shanoor Begum, actor, Nikhat Zareen, boxer, Danish Iqbal Sabri, actor, playback singer, lyricist and acclaimed Sufi singer, Chandni Bhagwanani, actor, Divya Suku, psychologist, director, model and actor, A Saraswathy, social activity, Karunya Welfare Society, Dr Kotha Krishnaveni, social activist, Sujeet Marc, fashion designer and entrepreneur, Kaishi Gupta, writer, poet and social activist, Syed Osman Azhar Maqsusi, social activist, Syeda Falak, Karathe athelete, and Dr Kaushal Ippili, neuroendoscopy consultant and neurosurgeon.

Shahnawaz Shaik, co-founder of Red Boys Foundation and Zakir Khan, founder-president of Red Boys Foundation, Chilkuri Sushil Rao, Journalist, Mohammed Siraj, Indian international cricketer, Dr Chaitanya Singh, senior journalist and strategist, Prof G Mallesham, Professor and head, Department of Electrical Engineering, Osmania University, Dr Savitha Rani, underwater yoga expert, rifle shooter, classical singer and a black belt in Karate, Richa Vashisth, chairperson, RMS Group of companies, member-railway advisory committee, Government of India, and President, Maa Foundation, Jitender Chawla, CEO of SMEBIZZ, Lead generation expert, branding, sales, brand building and business growth expert and marketing expert, Inayat Hussain, marketing consultant, business growth hacker, chairman of LinkX SkillVarsity and Founder of BrandGills and Deepika Rawat, Digital marketing trainer and consultant, co-founder LinkX SillVarsity and BrandGills.

Chilkuri Sushil Rao’s documentary “Swapnika” wins special award at 7th Indian World Film Festival in Hyderabad

Chilkuri Sushil Rao’s documentary film titled “Swapnika” has won international recognition at the 7th Indian World Film Festival-23 held in Hyderabad on March 19, 2023. In the festival organised by MiniBoxOffice, Greater Noida, National Capital Region, nearly 200 entries in different categories were received from across the globe. 

The documentary “Swapnika” was awarded with the “Certificate of Excellence – Special Festival Mention”. The award was given away by D C Singh, chief advisor and Rambhul Singh, festival director. 

The film festival had entries from several countries including Spain, Argentina, Sweden, US, UK, India, Switzerland, Brazil, Belgium, Chile, South Korea, Denmark and Germany which won awards. 

Another short documentary made by Chilkuri Sushil Rao titled “Nostalgia” has been given a ‘Certificate of Excellence” at the IWFF-23. The film is about a friendship and bond that lasts for decades among school friends and their gratitude to their school and teachers. The documentary is based on the ‘Nostalgia’ day celebrations organised by the alumni of  the 111-year-old St Patrick’s High School in Secunderabad. T-Hub CEO M Srinivas Rao, an alumnus of the school was the chief guest in January 2023. 

Music director Beno Joseph provided the background score for the documentary “Nostalgia” and the film was co-edited and presented by Elijah Emmanuel. The title song was sung by Chilkuri Nishan Sampreeth.

“Swapnika” is about a girl from Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh, India who is an inspiration to all around her. Swapnika’s both hands had to be amputated due to an electrocution accident when she was a child. Not being discouraged with her physical impairment, Swapika pursued her education and has completed her degree. She is also an artist and is popularly known as ‘Mouth artist Swapnika’.  The documentary is about how she manages and succeeds overcoming difficulties. 

“While I am happy my documentaries receiving recognition at the Indian World Film Festival organised in my city, I am delighted that the life of ‘Swapnika’ has been show cased on a global platform and she has won acclaim,” documentary filmmaker Chilkuri Sushil Rao said.

Two documentaries “Swapnika” and “Nostalgia” made by documentary film maker Chilkuri Sushil Rao have been selected for the 7^th Indian World Film Festiva -23  in Hyderabad on March 19, 2023.  The two films will be screened during the film festival.

Festival director Rambhul Singh informed that the event will take Best Western Ashoka at Lakdikapul, in Hyderabad. During the film festival, feature films, documentaries, short documentaries and videos will be screened. The festival is being organised by Mini Box Office, Greater Noida, Delhi NCR.

The documentary ‘Swapnika’ made by Chilkuri Sushil Rao is about a girl by the name Swapnika. She hails from Andhra Pradesh. She lost both her hands as a result of an electrocution incident when she was a child. With her determination and never-give-up spirit, Swapnika completed her degree studies. This documentary highlights that despite a physical impediment one can rise and conquer situations, as Swapnika has shown.

Another documentary made by Chilkuri Sushil Rao titled “Nostalgia” is about how old students celebrated coming together for a day of ‘Nostalgia’ at the 111-year-old school St Patrick’s High School in Secunderabad. The alumni are in important positions in various fields including in the defence. Music director Beno Joseph provided the musical score and Elijah Emmanuel is the presenter and editor of the Film. Nishan Sampreeth Chilkuri is the playback singer.

Both the documentaries have been produced and directed by Chilkuri Sushil Rao.

Chilkuri Sushil Rao has been a journalist for the last 35 years. He is a gold medalist from the Department of Communication and Journalism, Osmania University, Hyderabad. He is a documentary filmmaker. He has done a course offered by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) at Maulana Azad National Urdu University in Hyderabad. He has done a certificate course from IIT Madras on Film Studies. He has done a course in Film Appreciation from the University of Kerala. The 55-year-old Chilkuri Sushil Rao is currently also pursuing what is called a ‘Cinepreneur’ course offered at T-Hub in Hyderabad. The course is in collaboration with MEE School.

In December 2022, Chilkuri Sushil Rao’s “India’s GreenHeart Dusharla Satyanarayana” won the Best Jury Award at the Telangana International Film Festival held at Prasad Labs, Hyderabad. This documentary has also been accepted at the Cannes International Film Festival, French Riviera, France.

A still from the documentary "Swapnika"

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 A documentary titled “India’s GreenHeart Dusharla Satyanarayana” directed by Chilkuri Sushil Rao of Hyderabad, India, has moved up into the semi-finalist category at the Cannes World Film Festival to be held at Cannes, French Riviera, France on April 17, 2023. The entry is in the best director – documentary short. The documentary was earlier accepted as a submission for the film.

In the Telangana International Film Festival (TIFF) held in December 2022 in Hyderabad, the documentary won the Special Jury Award and was screened at Prasad Labs Preview Theatre as part of the festival.

Another documentary made by Chilkuri Sushil Rao titled “The Great Indian Tamarind Tree” on the tree that saved 150 lives during the 1908 Musi River floods in Hyderabad was selected as an official entry at the 11th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival in December 2022.

A documentary titled “On Trail of the Genetic Code” made by Chilkuri Sushil Rao has been submitted for the prestigious  “Festival de Cannes”. The 76^th Cannes Festival – 2023 will be held from May 16-27, 2023.