The Maker of Filmmakers by Radha Chadha is a powerful and deeply personal biography of Jagat Murari ? pioneering documentary filmmaker, visionary educator, and founding director of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Beginning with his formative years as a young film student in post-war America, the book traces Murari?s life-changing encounter with Orson Welles during the making of Macbeth in 1947, an experience that would go on to shape the future of Indian cinema.
Returning to a newly independent India, Murari took on the monumental task of building FTII from the ground up. Under his leadership, the institute became a breeding ground for talent that transformed Indian cinema ? producing legends such as Shabana Azmi, Jaya Bachchan, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, and Subhash Ghai. His students went on to define Bollywood, regional cinema, and Indian television, while spearheading movements like the Indian New Wave.
Drawing on intimate access to Murari?s diaries, letters, and personal papers ? as well as over 100 interviews with alumni and colleagues ? Chadha weaves a vivid portrait of her father as both an institution builder and a cultural force. Richly illustrated with rare photographs, the book captures the ambition, artistic fervour, and adversity that marked Murari?s journey.
Part biography, part cinematic history, The Maker of Filmmakers is an inspiring exploration of one man?s unwavering belief in the transformative power of cinema ? and his lasting impact on India?s cultural landscape.