Kireet Khurana (born 25 October 1967) is an Indian filmmaker, animator,[1][2] and ad-film director. He is a recipient of several accolades, including six President's National Film Awards.[3] His works have received over thirty international awards.[4]

Kireet Khurana
Kireet Khurana, at the 62nd National Film Awards Function, in New Delhi on May 03, 2015
Born	(1967-10-25) 25 October 1967 (age 55) Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Alma mater	Sheridan College, Canada University of Mumbai
Occupation	Filmmaker, animator
Years active	1986-present
Children	Kabeer Khurana
Parent	Bhimsain (father)

After graduating with high-honours from Sheridan College, Canada from a three-year program in animation filmmaking, Kireet started his production house 2nz animation.[5][6] He produced over 300 commercials for leading brands including Coca-Cola, Cadbury and Kellogg's.[7][8] He created the animation series The Adventures of Chhota Birbal,[9] which premiered on Cartoon Network in 2003,[10] and featured the first Indian character to be licensed. He is also the creator of India's largest animation series Vartmaan with his father, the animation pioneer Bhimsain.[11][12][13][14]

In 2010, he made his debut with India's first feature film combining live-action and 3D animation, Toonpur Ka Superrhero, starring Ajay Devgan and Kajol.[15] He was invited subsequently to be a partner of the International Animation Consulting Group (IACG), along with Max Howard, Bill Dennis and Frank Lunn.[16][17]

Kireet's 2016 documentary on Indian parallel cinema auteur Saeed Akhtar Mirza, entitled Saeed Mirza: The Leftist Sufi, released on Netflix. The film featured Mahesh Bhatt, Sudhir Mishra, Kundan Shah, Aziz Mirza, Pawan Malhotra and others.[18] It was named among the top 10 documentaries of 2017 by Vogue India and The Hindu.[19][20]

His 2018 feature film T for Taj Mahal, produced by Abis Rizvi, was premiered at the London Indian Film Festival.[21][22] The trailer of the film was launched at the Cannes Film Festival (2018).[23][24]

Kireet is currently the director of Mumbai-based production company, Climb Media. He has directed over 500 ad films. His upcoming works include The Storyteller,[25][26] starring Adil Hussain and Paresh Rawal,[27] and a docu-feature The Invisible Visible, on homelessness and the destitute in India.[28][29][30]

Personal

His exposure to animation films started from age six due his father, Bhimsain, who was known as the Father of Indian Animation.[31][32] Kireet attended the Jamnabai Narsee School and later completed a BA with a major in economics from the University of Mumbai. Soon thereafter, he went on to graduate in 1994 from Sheridan College, Canada, with honors, in animation filmmaking.[33][34][35]

His wife, Tehzeeb Khurana, is a pioneering animation educator, teaching animation to children in India.[36][37]

Filmography

References