{{Short description|Indian film director}} {{Use British English|date=September 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Rajesh Touchriver | image = Raj33.jpg | caption = | birth_name = M. S. Rajesh | birth_place = Arakulam, Idukki, Kerala, India | occupation = Film Director, Producer, Designer, Writer | years_active = 1992 – present | spouse = Sunitha Krishnan<ref name=Hindu2009>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/07/30/stories/2009073050560100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613052135/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/07/30/stories/2009073050560100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 June 2011|title=Keeping hope alive Real-life hero|date=30 July 2009 |newspaper=The Hindu| access-date=10 July 2016 }}</ref> | website = {{URL|www.rajeshtouchriver.com}} }} '''Rajesh Touchriver'''<ref>His surname is a literal English translation of the place name 'Thodupuzha'</ref> (born '''M. S. Rajesh''') is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer known for his works in English, Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi language films. He received various National and International honors for his works.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2003/may/09/artsfeatures|title=Trouble in paradise|date=9 May 2003|website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated1>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/06/12/stories/2003061201330300.htm|title=The Hindu : Touch and go|date=11 July 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030711105749/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/06/12/stories/2003061201330300.htm |archive-date=11 July 2003 }}</ref> In 2002 he directed ''In the Name of Buddha'' which was later screened in the Spotlight on India section at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/06/12/stories/2003061201330300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030821163535/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/06/12/stories/2003061201330300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2003-08-21|work=The Hindu|date=2003-06-12|title=Touch and go}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://rrtd.nic.in/Film%20Bulletin-Apl03.htm | title=BULLETIN ON FILM | volume=XLVII | date=April 2003 | number=4 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313103814/http://rrtd.nic.in/film%20bulletin-apl03.htm | archive-date=2016-03-13}}</ref> In 2013, he scripted, and directed the social problem film ''Naa Bangaaru Talli'' which won five International honours, the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu,<ref name="61staward">{{cite web|title=61st National Film Awards|url=http://www.dff.nic.in/List%20of%20Awards.pdf|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|date=16 April 2014|access-date=16 April 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416181218/http://www.dff.nic.in/List%20of%20Awards.pdf|archive-date=16 April 2014}}</ref> and four state Nandi awards including Second Best Feature Film.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/61st-national-awards-live-and-the-winners-are/465493-8-66.html|title=National Film Awards: And the winners are - IBNLive|date=16 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416183054/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/61st-national-awards-live-and-the-winners-are/465493-8-66.html |archive-date=16 April 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.alllightsfilmmagazine.com/index.php/filmosphere/movies-more/news/777-indian-film-industry-proclaims-their-presence-loudly-in-iffsrv-and-iffcrm-2013|title=Loading...|website=www.alllightsfilmmagazine.com|access-date=7 February 2015|archive-date=6 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306094344/http://www.alllightsfilmmagazine.com/index.php/filmosphere/movies-more/news/777-indian-film-industry-proclaims-their-presence-loudly-in-iffsrv-and-iffcrm-2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Early life== M. S. Rajesh was born in Arakulam, Idukki district, Kerala, India as the youngest son of Siva Sankaran Nair and Rukmini Amma. He had some early training in Kalaripayattu.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/real-story-in-reel-life/article2853727.ece|title=Real story in reel life|newspaper=The Hindu |date=2 February 2012|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> He took his bachelor's degree in Design and Direction from the School of Drama and Fine Arts in 1992, Thrissur, Kerala.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fountainink.in/reportage/theatre-of-the-real|title=Theatre of the real|website=fountainink.in}}</ref>
== Early career == He worked with the National School of Drama, New Delhi as a designer in 1995. By the year 1998, he had directed more than 30 plays in Malayalam, English and Telugu languages. Rajesh won the Charles Wallace Trust Award in 2001 and pursued his master's degree in visual language/scenography and direction from the Wimbledon College of Art, London.<ref name="auto2"/> He worked in the art department of ''Bavagaru Bagunnara!'' (1998).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.idlebrain.com/news/2000march20/chitchat-manyamramesh.html|title=Manyam Ramesh chitchat - Telugu Cinema producer|website=www.idlebrain.com}}</ref>
Rajesh's debut film ''In the Name of Buddha'' (2002) was premiered at the Oslo International Film Festival and won critical acclaim. Controversial in theme, the film is a treatment<ref name="auto1"/> of the ethnic conflict then raging in Sri Lanka. The film was screened at international film festivals in 2003 and won the Best Foreign Film award at the Beverly Hills International Film Festival, the Newport Beach International Film Festival and at the Wine Country International Film Festival in the same year.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Rajesh directed two Telugu films in the interim: 10 the Strangers and Alex, the Blue Fox.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/2209/telugu/10-the-strangers/index.htm|title=10 – The Strangers Telugu Movie – Preview, Trailers, Gallery, Review, Events, Synopsis<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=22 September 2013|archive-date=26 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526035917/http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/2209/telugu/10-the-strangers/index.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ww12.cinegoer.net/|title=cinegoer.net|website=ww12.cinegoer.net}}</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! rowspan="2" style="width:33px;"|Year ! rowspan="2"|Title ! rowspan="2"|Language ! rowspan="2"|Notes |-
|- | 2002 | ''In the Name of Buddha'' | English<br />Tamil<br />Sinhala<br />Hindi | |- | 2004 || ''Premayanamaha'' | rowspan="3"|Telugu | Art director<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.idlebrain.com/news/functions/audio-premayanamaha.html|title=Telugu Cinema Functions - Premayanamaha - Saandip, Kausha Rach - Shivram Apte - 21st century lions|website=www.idlebrain.com}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2"|2005 | ''10-The Strangers'' | |- | ''Alex-The Blue Fox'' | |- | 2013 | ''Ente'' |Malayalam<br />Telugu |Also producer<br />Titled as ''Naa Bangaaru Talli'' in Telugu |- | 2019 | ''Raktham – The Blood'' |Telugu | |- | 2022 | ''Dahini - The Witch'' |Hindi | |}
==Other work== ===Documentaries and short films=== Rajesh has made several short films and documentaries on human trafficking, HIV/AIDS and communal riots that support the media advocacy initiatives of the United Nations and NGOs, national and international. His film for the United Nations, ''One Life, No Price'' for social sensitisation against human trafficking was well received by civil society organisations internationally.<ref name=autogenerated3>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/unodc-and-bollywood-unite-against-trafficking.html|title=UNODC and Bollywood unite against trafficking|website=United Nations : Office on Drugs and Crime}}</ref>
''Anamika, the Nameless'' on a similar theme which was shot in the red light areas of India in Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune and Delhi,<ref name=autogenerated2>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/lf/2005/05/31/stories/2005053100690200.htm|title=The Hindu : Life Thiruvananthapuram : Speaking out for the 'nameless'|date=7 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107060455/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/lf/2005/05/31/stories/2005053100690200.htm |archive-date=7 November 2012 }}</ref> won the AC award under the "Best Foreign Award – Documentary Short Film" category<ref name=autogenerated4>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/best-film-award-for-docu-on-sex-trade/articleshow/1220131.cms|title=Best film award for docu on sex trade | Hyderabad News - Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=5 September 2005 }}</ref> and the Best Documentary Film Award at the Hyderabad International Film Festival. The film has been included in the curriculum of National Police Academy and National Judicial Academy.<ref name=autogenerated6>{{Cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=299172|title=Latest News|newspaper=Business Standard India}}</ref>
''The Sacred Face'', a short film on child sexual abuse, sent the audience back home unsettled at its screening in Hyderabad.<ref name=autogenerated5>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/16/stories/2008031657550200.htm|title=The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Documentary on incest shocks viewers|date=19 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080319231846/http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/16/stories/2008031657550200.htm |archive-date=19 March 2008 }}</ref> Following the success of in the Name of Buddha, Rajesh directed the music video for "Sunshowers" for Maya Arulpragasam (M.I.A.).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9008672/|title=M.I.A.: Sunshowers|via=IMDb}}</ref>
===Music videos – screenplay, direction=== * "Sunshowers" for MIA XL Recording, London, UK (3 mins, English, Super 16 mm, 2004)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9008672/ | title=M.I.A.: Sunshowers | website=IMDb }}</ref> * "Hire Fire" for Prajwala (music album containing six 4 mins songs against human trafficking, Hindi/Telugu, DV, 2004)<ref name=autogenerated4 />
==Awards== ;National Film Awards *Best Feature Film in Telugu – ''Na Bangaaru Talli'' (2013)<ref name="61staward"/>
;Nandi Awards *Second Best Feature Film - ''Na Bangaaru Talli'' (2013)
== Other honors == *Best Director (Regional cinema) Rajasthan International Film Festival [https://riffjaipur.org/awards2018.htm 2018] *Best Foreign Feature Film Award – Crossing The Screen International Film Festival 2017. *Award of Excellence from IFFCRM, Indonesia – 2013<ref name="autogenerated1" /> *Best Filmmaker of the Year Award IFFCRM, Jakarta, Indonesia – 2013{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} *Award of Excellence from IFFCRM, Indonesia – 2013{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} *Best Feature Film Award Trinity International Film Festival – 2013{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} *Best Documentary Film Award Hyderabad International Film Festival – 2008{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} *Best Editing Award Festival De Cine De Granada – 2007{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} *Best Foreign Documentary film Award Action Cut International Film Festival 2006{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} *Outstanding Alumnus Award – School of Drama- 2003{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} *Best Film Award Wine country International Film Festival- 2003{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} *Best Film Award New port Beach International Film Festival – 2003{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} *Best Foreign Film Award - Beverly Hills International Film Festival- 2003{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} *The Charles Wallace India Trust Award.- 2001<ref name="autogenerated6" /><ref name="autogenerated5" /> *Indie International Best Foreign Feature Film – ''Raktham – The Blood''<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://theindiegathering.com/2017.html|title=2017 – the International Indie Gathering|access-date=26 September 2017|archive-date=18 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318063150/http://www.theindiegathering.com/2017.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> *Indie International Best Overall Feature Film – Peoples Choice – ''Raktham – The Blood''<ref name="auto"/>
== References == {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
== External links == * {{Official website|http://www.rajeshtouchriver.com}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Touchriver, Rajesh}} Category:21st-century Indian people Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:Malayali people Category:Telugu film directors Category:Malayalam film directors Category:Tamil film directors Category:Indian documentary filmmakers Category:Indian experimental filmmakers Category:Nandi Award winners Category:Indian production designers Category:20th-century Indian designers Category:Film directors from Idukki district Category:People from Idukki district Category:Screenwriters from Kerala