“This book is a portrait of that pivotal time, when India’s cinematic legacy was transformed.”
SHABANA AZMI“Mr Murari at FTII fostered purpose, discipline and artistic growth and we were fortunate to study under his tutelage and guidance.”
JAYA BACHCHAN
What was his secret formula?
A gripping story of ambition, adversity and artistic brilliance—richly illustrated with rare photographs—THE MAKER OF FILMMAKERS paints a vivid picture of how one man’s vision and determination helped turn Indian cinema into the global powerhouse it is today.
Praise for the book
“Jagat Murari was the pioneer of the new wave cinema in India, which turned regional cinema into national cinema, to represent India all over the world in film festivals.”
GULZARLegendary lyricist, poet, and award-winning filmmaker
“Shri Jagat Murari made me understand the principles of good cinema as his student in 1964. A most humble person, with full dedication to connecting students to every aspect of cinema aesthetically. We all remember him with great gratitude.”
SUBHASH GHAIFTII Alumni, celebrated filmmaker, and founder of whistling woods
“He belonged to the rare class of pedagogy that believed in and strived for quality education…And it was no surprise that year after year all the major national awards were won by Film Institute graduates.”
ADOOR GOPALAKRISHNANFTII ALUMNI, ICONIC FILMMAKER, AND WINNER OF SEVENTEEN NATIONAL AWARDS
“The book brings alive the man on a mission who laid the foundation for future generations of creative and talented people…whatever I learnt at the FTII is due to love, affection, and his personal care.”
SHATRUGHAN SINHAFTII ALUMNI, ILLUSTRIOUS ACTOR, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, LOK SABHA, AND FORMER UNION MINISTER
“This book offers fascinating insights into the profound link between film education and film industries the world over, and shows USC cinema school’s close ties to India’s cinematic journey.”
ELIZABETH DALEYDEAN, USC SCHOOL OF CINEMATIC ARTS, LOS ANGELES
“Mr Murari was a guardian figure to us. His recommendation to Mr Hrishikesh Mukherjee launched my film career, for which I am eternally grateful.”
JAYA BACHANANFTII ALUMNI, RENOWNED ACTRESS AND MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, RAJYA SABHA
“FTII, under Jagat Murari’s leadership, was a haven for those of us who lived and breathed the art of cinema. This book is a portrait of that pivotal time, when India’s cinematic legacy was transformed.”
SHABANA AZMIFTII ALUMNI, ACCLAIMED ACTRESS AND WINNER OF FIVE NATIONAL AWARDS
THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE MAN WHO CHANGED INDIAN CINEMA FOREVER
When Jagat Murari, a young film student in post-war America, found himself at the feet of one of cinema’s true giants— Orson Welles—during the making of Macbeth in 1947, the lessons he absorbed on that set shaped not only his future but the future of Indian cinema. Returning to a newly independent India, Jagat went on to build the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) from the ground up.
In The Maker of Filmmakers, Radha Chadha offers an intimate and meticulously researched portrait of her father—a celebrated documentary filmmaker—and the iconic film school he built. With uncanny consistency, FTII turned out top talent—Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Subhash Ghai, Shatrughan Sinha and Mani Kaul, and other cinema legends. His alumni became the leading names of Bollywood and beyond. They spearheaded the Indian New Wave, kick-started regional language cinema and helped usher television into the country.
How did Jagat go about ‘making’ such extraordinary filmmakers? What was his secret formula? With unprecedented access to Jagat’s personal papers and over a hundred interviews with alumni and colleagues, Radha leads us behind the scenes—into the mind of a visionary who reshaped Indian cinema, even as he grappled with its many challenges.
A gripping story of ambition, adversity and artistic brilliance—richly illustrated with rare photographs—The Maker of Filmmakers paints a vivid picture of how one man’s vision and determination helped turn Indian cinema into the global powerhouse it is today.
MY FATHER, JAGAT MURARI, always intended to write his life story.
While sorting through her father’s archives, Radha Chadha discovered something much bigger—a missing piece of India's cinematic history.
Drawing from thousands of Jagat’s diary entries, personal documents, rare photographs, and interviews with his former students, many of whom are now industry legends, Radha weaves together the untold legacy of her father—a man whose vision propelled Indian cinema onto the world stage.
An author, columnist, and one of Asia’s foremost experts on marketing and consumer insights, Radha grew up on the campus of the Film and Television Institute of India, where her father, Jagat Murari, shaped a generation of filmmakers.