Rajesh Touchriver
Rajesh Touchriver (born M. 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. 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.
Rajesh Touchriver
Rajeshtouchriver · CC0
- Name
- Rajesh Touchriver
- Birth Name
- M.
- Birthplace
- Arakulam, Idukki, Kerala, India
- Occupation
- Film Director, Producer, Designer, Writer
- Spouse
- Sunitha Krishnan
- Born
- 1972 · Idukki district.
- Nationality
- India
- Education
- Wimbledon College of Arts · University of Calicut
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Documentary summary
Rajesh Touchriver (born M. 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. 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.
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Rajesh Touchriver (born 1972) is a film director and film producer, of Indian nationality. The film director was born in Idukki district. Rajesh Touchriver was educated at University of Calicut and Wimbledon College of Arts.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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wikidata · Q7286096 · wikipedia · Rajesh Touchriver
In this article
Biography
Biography
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, and four state Nandi awards including Second Best Feature Film.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Rajesh Touchriver • Birth Name — M. S. Rajesh • Birthplace — Arakulam, Idukki, Kerala, India • Occupation — Film Director, Producer, Designer, Writer • Years Active — 1992 – present • Spouse — Sunitha Krishnan • Website — www.rajeshtouchriver.com
Early life
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. He took his bachelor's degree in Design and Direction from the School of Drama and Fine Arts in 1992, Thrissur, Kerala.
Early career
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. He worked in the art department of Bavagaru Bagunnara! (1998). 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 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. Rajesh directed two Telugu films in the interim: 10 the Strangers and Alex, the Blue Fox.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Language — Notes • 2002 — In the Name of Buddha — English Tamil Sinhala Hindi • 2004 — Premayanamaha — Telugu — Art director • 2005 — 10-The Strangers • Alex-The Blue Fox • 2013 — Ente — Malayalam Telugu — Also producer Titled as Naa Bangaaru Talli in Telugu • 2019 — Raktham – The Blood — Telugu • 2023 — MINDGAME — ODIA — Writer & Director • 2023 — Dahini - The Witch — Hindi
Music videos – screenplay, direction
Music videos – screenplay, direction
• "Sunshowers" for MIA XL Recording, London, UK (3 mins, English, Super 16 mm, 2004) • "Hire Fire" for Prajwala (music album containing six 4 mins songs against human trafficking, Hindi/Telugu, DV, 2004)
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. Anamika, the Nameless on a similar theme which was shot in the red light areas of India in Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune and Delhi, won the AC award under the "Best Foreign Award – Documentary Short Film" category 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. The Sacred Face, a short film on child sexual abuse, sent the audience back home unsettled at its screening in Hyderabad. Following the success of in the Name of Buddha, Rajesh directed the music video for "Sunshowers" for Maya Arulpragasam (M.I.A.).
Awards
Awards
• National Film Awards • Best Feature Film in Telugu – Na Bangaaru Talli (2013) • Nandi Awards • Second Best Feature Film - Na Bangaaru Talli (2013)
Other honors
Other honors
• Best Director (Regional cinema) Rajasthan International Film Festival 2018 • Best Foreign Feature Film Award – Crossing The Screen International Film Festival 2017. • Award of Excellence from IFFCRM, Indonesia – 2013 • Best Filmmaker of the Year Award IFFCRM, Jakarta, Indonesia – 2013 • Award of Excellence from IFFCRM, Indonesia – 2013 • Best Feature Film Award Trinity International Film Festival – 2013 • Best Documentary Film Award Hyderabad International Film Festival – 2008 • Best Editing Award Festival De Cine De Granada – 2007 • Best Foreign Documentary film Award Action Cut International Film Festival 2006 • Outstanding Alumnus Award – School of Drama- 2003 • Best Film Award Wine country International Film Festival- 2003 • Best Film Award New port Beach International Film Festival – 2003 • Best Foreign Film Award - Beverly Hills International Film Festival- 2003 • The Charles Wallace India Trust Award.- 2001 • Indie International Best Foreign Feature Film – Raktham – The Blood • Indie International Best Overall Feature Film – Peoples Choice – Raktham – The Blood
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Keeping hope alive Real-life hero. The Hindu. 30 July 2009.
- 2.His surname is a literal English translation of the place name 'Thodupuzha'
- 3.Trouble in paradise. the Guardian. 9 May 2003.
- 4.The Hindu : Touch and go. 11 July 2003.
- 5.Touch and go. The Hindu. 2003-06-12.
- 6.BULLETIN ON FILM. XLVII. 4. April 2003.
- 7.Directorate of Film Festivals. 61st National Film Awards. 16 April 2014.
- 8.National Film Awards: And the winners are - IBNLive. 16 April 2014.
- 9.Loading. www.alllightsfilmmagazine.com.
- 10.Real story in reel life. The Hindu. 2 February 2012.
- 11.Theatre of the real. fountainink.in.
- 12.Manyam Ramesh chitchat - Telugu Cinema producer. www.idlebrain.com.
- 13.10 – The Strangers Telugu Movie – Preview, Trailers, Gallery, Review, Events, Synopsis.
- 14.cinegoer.net. ww12.cinegoer.net.
- 15.Telugu Cinema Functions - Premayanamaha - Saandip, Kausha Rach - Shivram Apte - 21st century lions. www.idlebrain.com.
- 16.UNODC and Bollywood unite against trafficking. United Nations : Office on Drugs and Crime.
- 17.The Hindu : Life Thiruvananthapuram : Speaking out for the 'nameless'. 7 November 2012.
- 18.Best film award for docu on sex trade | Hyderabad News - Times of India. The Times of India. 5 September 2005.
- 19.Latest News. Business Standard India.
- 20.The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Documentary on incest shocks viewers. 19 March 2008.
- 21.M.I.A.: Sunshowers.
- 22.M.I.A.: Sunshowers. IMDb.
- 23.2017 – the International Indie Gathering.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 20 August 2026.
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