# Tanuj Chopra
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{{short description|American filmmaker|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Notability|Biography|date=April 2022}}
{{Like resume|date=April 2022}}
{{BLP self-published|date=April 2022}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=April 2022}}
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{{Infobox person
|name = Tanuj Chopra
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|occupation = Director, Writer & producer
|years_active =2003–present
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'''Tanuj Chopra''' is an American film-maker. His debut feature film ''[Punching at the Sun](/source/Punching_at_the_Sun)'' (2006) was screened at the [Sundance Film Festival](/source/Sundance_Film_Festival) and was also nominated for the [Humanitas Prize](/source/Humanitas_Prize). He directed the [Netflix](/source/Netflix) web series ''[Delhi Crime](/source/Delhi_Crime)'' [season 2 and season 3](/source/Delhi_Crime), whose first part was nominated for an International [Emmy](/source/Emmy_Awards).[{{Cite web |date=2022-08-28 |title=Delhi Crime 2 director Tanuj Chopra defends show's graphic depiction of violence: 'We had to show the severity' |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/web-series/delhi-crime-2-director-tanuj-chopra-defends-show-s-graphic-depiction-of-violence-101661650602936.html |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}]
==Early life and education==
Chopra was raised in Silicon Valley,[{{cite web|website=Tribeca Film Institute |title=Tanuj Chopra |url=https://tribecafilminstitute.org/filmmakers/detail/tanuj_chopra|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006095008/https://tribecafilminstitute.org/filmmakers/detail/tanuj_chopra|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 6, 2014}}] and obtained a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in [Semiotics](/source/Semiotics) from [Brown University](/source/Brown_University) in 1999.[{{cite web|title=Filmmaker of the Month: Tanuj Chopra |url=http://njisacf.wordpress.com/2008/04/30/filmmaker-of-the-month-tanuj-chopra/ |website=NJISACF}}] He completed a [Master of Fine Arts](/source/Master_of_Fine_Arts) degree in film at the [Columbia University School of the Arts](/source/Columbia_University_School_of_the_Arts) in 2007, where he received the School of Art's Deans Fellowship and the FOCUS Film Fellowship.[{{cite web|website=Tribeca Film Institute |title=Punching at the Sun |url=https://www.tfiny.org/films/detail/punching_at_the_sun}}] As an undergraduate at [Brown University](/source/Brown_University), he wrote, directed and produced ''Uljhan'', a 10-minute short film that played in festivals in New York and Los Angeles. In 2003, he directed, edited, and produced a short romance film entitled ''Butterfly'', starring [Tillotama Shome](/source/Tillotama_Shome), which was shot in [New Delhi](/source/New_Delhi) and screened at over 20 festivals across North America, Europe, India and Pakistan.[ChopFilms, Clap Clap, http://chopsfilms.com/clap-clap/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006075315/http://chopsfilms.com/clap-clap/ |date=2014-10-06 }}][Anderson Le, The Short List: CLAP CLAP, You Offend Me You Offend My Family (YOMYOMF.com), http://youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com/the-short-list-clap-clap/] He wrote and directed a sci-fi short film in 2010 entitled ''Pia'', starring [Tillotama Shome](/source/Tillotama_Shome) and Pia Shah as an android/cyborg, for [PBS](/source/PBS)'s FutureStates project.[PIA, FutureStates, New Jersey Public Television, http://www.njtvonline.org/programs/futurestates/pia/]
In 2011, Chopra directed ''The King's Speech Parody LOL'', in partnership with the [Center for Asian American Media](/source/Center_for_Asian_American_Media) (CAAM), to highlight the 29th Annual [San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival](/source/San_Francisco_International_Asian_American_Film_Festival)'s focus on South Asian film and filmmakers.[{{cite web |url=http://chopsfilms.com/the-kings-speech-lol/ |title=The King's Speech LOL |website=chopsfilms.com |accessdate=2014-10-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006093946/http://chopsfilms.com/the-kings-speech-lol/ |archivedate=2014-10-06 }}] He also directed and wrote a dystopian short film entitled ''Carbon Dated'' in 2011.[{{cite web|website=[Center for Asian American Media](/source/Center_for_Asian_American_Media) |title=Filmmaker Advice from Tanuj Chopra |url=http://caamedia.org/blog/2014/09/08/filmmaker-advice-tanuj-chopra/}}]
In 2012, Chopra directed a web series, again in partnership with CAAM, entitled ''Nice Girls Crew''.[Nice Girls Crew, http://nicegirlscrew.com/] Season 1 screened in 2012, and Season 2 of the series screened in 20d.{{clarify|date=June 2024}}[{{Cite web | url=http://caamedia.org/blog/2012/11/05/nice-girls-crew-season-1-on-youtube/ | title=Nice Girls Crew Season 1 on YouTube, Ready for Season 2?| date=5 November 2012}}][{{Cite web | url=http://blog.angryasianman.com/2014/04/nice-girls-crew-season-2-trailer.html | title=Nice Girls Crew Season 2 Trailer}}] He also directed the season 2 of web series [Delhi Crime](/source/Delhi_Crime).[{{Cite web |date=2022-08-28 |title=Delhi Crime 2 director Tanuj Chopra defends show's graphic depiction of violence: 'We had to show the severity' |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/web-series/delhi-crime-2-director-tanuj-chopra-defends-show-s-graphic-depiction-of-violence-101661650602936.html |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}]
In 2014, Chopra wrote and directed a futuristic short film entitled ''Teacher In A Box'' (2014), again in partnership with the PBS FutureStates project, set in a future where teachers are replaced with digital avatars of themselves.
===Music videos===
Along with [Prashant Bhargava](/source/Prashant_Bhargava), Chopra co-directed the music video for the [Swetshop Boys](/source/Swet_Shop_Boys)' "Benny Lava". Chopra also directed the music videos for [Chee Malabar](/source/Chee_Malabar)'s tracks "Harsh Truth", "Unbearable Sweetness", "Now Is Too Soon", and "Hamas 2.5". He has also directed various music videos and music pieces for jazz pianist [Vijay Iyer](/source/Vijay_Iyer).
===Documentaries===
Chopra has worked on several documentaries. His ''Project Heart: Uganda'' series focused on the work of the [World Children Initiative](/source/World_Children_Initiative) treating children's heart disease in [Uganda](/source/Uganda).[Chops Films, Project Heart: Uganda, {{cite web |url=http://chopsfilms.com/world-childrens-initiative/ |title=Project Heart: Uganda | chopsfilms.com |accessdate=2014-10-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006163721/http://chopsfilms.com/world-childrens-initiative/ |archivedate=2014-10-06 }}] His documentary ''SAYA! Turns Ten'' is a commissioned piece about the [Queens, New York](/source/Queens%2C_New_York) based non-profit organization [South Asian Youth Action](/source/South_Asian_Youth_Action).[{{cite web |url=http://chopsfilms.com/saya-turns-10/ |title=Saya Turns 10 |website=chopsfilms.com |accessdate=2014-10-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006123908/http://chopsfilms.com/saya-turns-10/ |archivedate=2014-10-06 }}]
===Feature films===
In 2006, Chopra wrote, produced, and directed his first feature film, ''Punching at the Sun'', depicting the life of a troubled South Asian teen ([Misu Khan](/source/Misu_Khan)) living in [Queens, New York](/source/Queens%2C_New_York).[{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=John |date=2006-02-06 |title=Punching at the Sun |url=https://variety.com/2006/film/reviews/punching-at-the-sun-1200518728/ |access-date=2023-11-23 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}] It premiered at the 2006 [Sundance Film Festival](/source/Sundance_Film_Festival) as the first South Asian American film to be selected to the festival.[Jaman Delivers Award-Winning Film 'Punching at the Sun' to Movie Lovers Around the Globe, http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Jaman+Delivers+Award-Winning+Film+'Punching+at+the+Sun'+to+Movie...-a0173674203{{deadlink|date=April 2025}}]
Chopra started work on the Kickstarter crowd-funded indie feature film ''Nature Boy'' in 2011, which tells the story of an ex-tennis champion who finds himself washed up and disconnected in his hometown at age 33.[{{cite web |url=http://chopsfilms.com/biography/ |title=Biography |website=Chops Films |accessdate=2014-10-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006163235/http://chopsfilms.com/biography/ |archivedate=2014-10-06 }}]
Chopra makes his films under the label "Chops Films".
==Filmography==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year
!Film
!Notes
|-
|-
| 2006
| ''[Punching at the Sun](/source/Punching_at_the_Sun)''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{n}}
|
|-
| 2015
| ''Nature Boy''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{n}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|-
| 2015
| ''Grass''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| Story
|-
| 2016
| ''[Chee and T](/source/Chee_and_T)''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{n}}
|
|}
==Miscellaneous==
Chopra serves on the board of the [Palo Alto International Film Festival](/source/Palo_Alto_International_Film_Festival), and assists with the New Voices for Youth Film-making Initiative.