{{short description|Indian film and television director}} {{BLP sources|date=August 2021}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}{{Infobox person | name = | image = | caption = | birth_place = India | alma mater = | occupation = Film director | years_active = 1984–present | known_for = Jalwa (1987) | spouse = Asmita Parashar | imagesize = }} '''Pankaj Parashar''' is an Indian film and television director. Among his most-known are police-thriller ''Jalwa'' (1987) starring Naseeruddin Shah, ''ChaalBaaz'' (1989), and television detective series ''Karamchand'' (1985). He also makes television commercials, corporate films and documentaries.<ref name="da">{{cite news|url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/sallu-may-act-pankaj%E2%80%99s-next-flick-835|title=Sallu may act in Pankaj's next flick|date=15 July 2010|work=Deccan Chronicle|access-date=17 July 2010|archive-date=3 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303225828/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/sallu-may-act-pankaj%E2%80%99s-next-flick-835|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="red">{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/jan/08pankuj.htm|title=The story is the hero, boss|date=10 January 2003|work=Rediff.com}}</ref>
==Career==
Parashar debuted with the Hindi comedy ''Ab Ayega Mazaa'' (1984). This was followed by the next year with the television series ''Karamchand'' (1985), starring Pankaj Kapoor as lead detective Karamchand with Sushmita Mukherjee as assistant Kitti and Sanjay Gupta as the assistant director. It was broadcast on India's national television channel DD National, and it was one of India's first detective series. Sony Entertainment Television revived this serial in February 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/feb/09kc.htm|title=Karamchand returns, to pricier carrots|date=9 February 2007|work=Rediff.com}}</ref>
He became the first director to cast a then-art film actor Naseeruddin Shah in a commercial film, ''Jalwa'' (1987) (a remake of ''Beverly Hills Cop'') and in his 1989 film, ''ChaalBaaz'' (a remake of ''Seeta Aur Geeta'') got lead actress Sridevi, the Filmfare Best Actress Award. Both were big hits.<ref name=red/> Parashar's ''Malfunction'' was awarded the 1980 Filmfare Award for Best Documentary.
In the 1990s he directed the big budget film ''Rajkumar'' which had the first major computer graphic effects in a Hindi film. BBC's Tomorrows World programme interviewed Parashar for it, stating he had brought Indian graphics to the level of the west.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} ''Himalay Putra'' which was produced by Vinod Khanna and marked the debut of his son Akshaye Khanna. His venture ''Banaras'' (2006), was set in Benaras city, starring Urmila Matondkar and Naseeruddin Shah as leads, and was selected for the International film festival in Goa.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
Mazaa Films has been producing and directing feature films, TV serials, documentaries, corporate films and computer graphics for the last 25 years.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} Headed by Pankuj Parashar, Gold medalist Direction course FTII 1980, the company has won all the major awards in the country starting with the Filmfare award for the best short in 1980.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}
He is the life member of International Film and Television Club & International Film and Television Research Centre of Asian Academy of Film & Television.
== Education == Film & Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune Diploma in Film Direction & Screenplay Writing. Jai Hind College, Mumbai Bachelor of Commerce (Economics, Mathematics and Statistics)
==Filmography== ===As film director=== * ''Ab Ayega Mazaa'' (1984) * ''Jalwa'' (1987) * ''Peechha Karo'' (1986) * ''ChaalBaaz'' (1989) * ''Rajkumar'' (1996) * ''Himalayputra'' (1997) * ''Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge'' (2002) * ''Meri Biwi Ka Jawab Nahin'' (2004) * ''Inteqam: The Perfect Game'' (2004) * ''Banaras'' (2006) * ''Banarasi Jasoos'' (2016) (short film) * ''Skin Of marble'' (2017) (short film)
===Television=== * ''Karamchand'' (1985)
===As writer=== * ''It Was Raining That Night'' (2005)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0660967}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parashar, Pankaj}} Category:20th-century Indian people Category:Hindi-language film directors Category:Living people Category:Indian television directors Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Film and Television Institute of India alumni Category:21st-century Indian people