Indrajit Lankesh is best known for his films such as ‘Thuntata’, ‘Monalisa’ and ‘Aishwarya’. He won the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Director and Best Film for ‘Monalisa’. His film ‘Thuntata’ also bagged the V Shantaram National Award for Best Debut Direction. He is currently working on a biopic of actor Shakeela. The film features actors Richa Chadda and Pankaj Tripathi in the lead roles.
Actor president.
Leonardo DiCaprio
“The combination of Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio has always amazed me. I have lost count of the number of times I have watched ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ and ‘The Departed’. The combination of Martin and Leonardo always offers something new. I also hold a lot of respect and admiration for Dr Rajkumar because he has contributed immensely to the Kannada film industry.”
Inspiration
P Lankesh
“My father was a master at time management. He is the most creative person that I have ever met. Coming from a remote village in Shivamogga, he created a revolution in journalism with sheer hard work. I am proud to be his son. Even today, when I look back at his national-award winning film ‘Pallavi’, I am glad that it still connects with the youth because it was about student union revolution, made in the communist backdrop. This is relevant even to this day.”
Author
Gabriel García Márquez
“My father presented me with ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ by Gabriel García Márquez when I was in class 11. I have fond memories of reading that book and that’s how I became a fan of Marquez. And later, when I became a filmmaker, I started reading William Shakespeare which I read in school. Reading it as a filmmaker offered a new perspective. As a screenplay writer, Shakespeare has inspired me a lot. His way of telling a story and his literature is so deep-rooted. He’s like a template for any filmmaker.”
Food
Onamsadhya
“I like the festive spread. The dishes made during festivals such as Onam, Shivarathri or Ramzan are of special interest to me. I like the Biryani, Obbatu and Onam Sadhya made during festivals. These dishes are deep-rooted in culture of the place of origin. I wait for the festive season to arrive to relish my favourite dishes. I also enjoy experimenting with food from different parts of the country.”
Travel
Maldives
“My family vacations to Maldives have always been memorable and that’s also one place that I would like to return to. I also enjoy the short trips that I take in and around Bengaluru.”
Music
The Beatles
“I am a huge fan The Beatles and John Lennon. I grew up listening to The Beatles. The lyrics, music and enigma about them is amazing. But my music tastes keeping changing. I now go with my sons’ choices. I am now updating myself with the latest music. The playlist during our long drives and trips are completely my children’s choices.”