Profile
He is the biggest name in social service films. Perhaps he is the only film-maker, who has alone made 18 Short films on GANDHIJI.A production house headed by him is the biggest documentary film production company in the India in private sector. It is the biggest producer of Short Documentary Films as perLIMCA BOOK OF RECORDS. His name also appears in LIMCA BOOK OF RECORDS for directing maximum number of short films in 35mm.
“Panchajanya”“a short film directed by him on golden jubilee celebration of Weekly Panchajanya ( founder editor Shri Atal Bihari Bajpayee) for Doordarshan. Besideshedirected a film on Amar Shaheed Dr Shyama Prasad Mookherjee on his birth centenary for Doordarshan. Films Division commissioned a film “Sindhu Gatha” on river Sindhu to highlight the unity campaign of Home Minister Shri L.K.Advani. The cassette of this documentary was released by our Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Bajpeyee in 2001 at Ladakh.
His main forte is short films and documentaries, though his vast repertoire touches upon almost every genre of filmmaking - from feature films to commercial ad-films and children films tocorporate filmmaking… His body of work ranges from popular comedy serials, historical and religious films, educational programs and musical countdown shows, sports based series, cultural and informative documentaries and children’s programmes. He also made a feature film MAUT KI SAZAA, which was hailed as one of the finest films of his career by doyen of Indian cinema Shri Ashok Kumar.
Mr. Khandelwal is virtually the only short-film maker in the country who has made landmark films on a whole range of subjects. To highlight Mr. Khandelwal’s immense contribution to the Indian film and TV industry, we cite below a few of the most prestigious and notable projects directed by him.
Noteworthy Works
- In 1994-95, NFDC promoted 42 short films for export, 13 of which had been made by Mr. Khandelwal.
- Films Division commissioned a short documentary “Sindhu Gatha” on river Sindhu to highlight the unity campaign of Home Minister Shri L.K.Advani. The cassette of this documentary was released by our Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Bajpeyee in 2001 at Ladakh..
- “Panchajanya”“ a short film directed by him on golden jubilee celebration of Weekly Panchajanya ( founder editor Shri Atal Bihari Bajpayee) for Doordarshan
- “Circus in India” and “Miss India” were the first Indian shows to be aired on China TV on the occasion of the visit of Indian Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi. Both were directed by Mr Khandelwal.
- Directed a travellogue“A Journey to a Mountain God” for CCRT
- Directed a serial on the life and times of Shri Morarjee Desai, the Gandhian Prime Minister of India, for Ministry of human Resource Development in 1996 which was released on Doordarshan’s National Network and was highly acclaimed.
- Directed documentary Amar Shaheed Dr Shyama Prasad Mookherjee on his birth centenary for Doordarshan
- He directed TV Serial Haqueeqat on Kashmir for National Network of Doordarshan and Ministry of Home Affairs.
- He has directed a 3-part series on the “MahaKumbh 2001”, commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, which is probably the longest short film about any one event.
- He directed immensely popular comedy serial “Bheem Bhavani” starring Shri. Ashok Kumar and Shri. Anup Kumar which was telecast on the National Network of Doordarshan.
- He has made a Docu-serial for Doordarshan and Ministry of Home Affairs, called “VeeronTumhe Salaam” based on the bravery of the martyrs during war at Kargil.
- Mr. Khandelwal has also ventured into educational programmes. His “How to Prepare for Civil services examination” is a landmark show in production of educational programmes.
- He has written and produced sports-based serials called “Bhartiya Khel” and “Bhartiya Bacchonke Khel” which educates viewers about the rules and regulations of Indian games and the scientific method of playing these games.
- Directed a 60-part series “Learn Hindi” for UK-based TV network “Namaste”.
- He directed many public-service films including films for Ministry of Health and Depasrtment of Adult Education for NFDC.
- Pioneer of Music videos in our country. Directed more than 40 such shorts for T-series.
- Directed most prestigious New Year Eve Programme for two satellite channels ATN and NEPC in 1997.
- He is the only film-maker who has made TV programmes of all genres: General entertainment, musical, children, educational, promotional, training, travellogue, social service, News-based, film-based shows, live shows, Agriculture, cultural, historical, women and family interest, senior citizens, enviornment and religion.
He was invited at International Film festival held in China, Switzerland, UK, Dubai and Germany.His work has been awarded and given due recognition from time to time. Recognizing his contribution to the Indian film and television industry, he has been appointed as member of the jury for several popular and prestigious awards.
Honours and Awards
Offices Held
MEMBER OF THE JURY
Films Produced
AD-FILMS AND CORPORATE PROMOTIONAL FILMS
Mr. Khandelwal has directed ad-films as well as corporate promotional films. His list of clients includes national majors such as Hindustan Lever Exports, Fedders Lloyd, Vardan soya, Goa Shipyard, Sipta Surya, Lyril vests, Vicco, Dalmia Dairy, JK Cement, Cynamid India, BASF, Super cassettes, ATN, NEPC, Birla cement, Chitralekha and G magazines, Parag Sarees, Godfrey Philips, Rajashree cement, Praffulla Sarees, BMC, Double Bull, Maharaja Mixer, Cinni fans, Concept Shirts etc. He has also directed internaltion ad-commercials Fashqua (Japan), Fabiolax & Whiterose (UAE), Namaste TV (UK) title etc.
PUBLIC SERVICES FILMS
Films for pulse polio for Ministry of health and NFDC featuring film-stars like Amrish Puri, Poonam Dhillon, Dara Singh. Films for Cleanliness drive for BMC featuring Miss World Yukta Mookhey. Film for Environment protection featuring Sunil Dutt, Basu Chatterjee, B.R Chopra, Reema Lagoo etc. Film for Earth Quake featuring Anil Kapoor
SHORT FILMS
In the year 1994-95, National Film Development Coroporation of india promoted 42 short film for export, out of which 13 short films were produced by Mr.Devendra Khandelwal.
Directed in short films in almost categories and on varied subjects. His two documentaries CIRCUS IN INDIA and MISS INDIA were the first indian documentaris to be shown on CHINA TV. Mr.Khandelwal was also special invitee at International Film Festival of China.
Another documentaries "A JOURNEY TO A MOUNTAIN GOD" was directed by him for C.C.R.T, Government of India.
Directed a short documentary "SINDHU GATHA
" for FILMS DIVISION.
The other important documentaries produced/directed by him are:
AARTIS, JAIN DHARMA KYA HAI, MAHAKAL KI NAGARI, MALVI SONGS, ONKARESHWAR, OON : CITY OF NINE TEMPLES, PT. BHIMSEN JOSHI, SHYAMA PRASAD MOOKERJEE, MAHAKUMBH, PANCHJANYA KI YASHOGATHA etc
TV SERIALS
He produced and directed numerous TV serials including BHEEM-BHAWANI, starring Ashok Kumar and Anoop Kumar, which was telecast on National Network of Doordarshan
It starred almost all the noted comedians of Hindi Cinema including Mehmood, Agha, Mukri, Tuntun, Mohan Choti Yunus Parvez, Guddi Maruti, Jr.Mehmood, Rajinder Nath etc.
Another production YE HAI JHUMRI TALAIYYA was released on NEPC.
Co-produced and Directed TV Serial on life and times of late Shri Morarji Desai, Ex-Prime Minister of India.
Directing TV Serial for various channel : "DIL KARE DHAK DHAK", "BHAHADUR BACHCHE", "YE DIL KISKO DOON", and "SINHASAN".
Doordarshan commissioned a TV Serial "VEERON TUMHE SALAAM" on the martyrs of Kargil.
Produced and Directed a TV Serial "HAQUEEQAT" on Kashmir Problem for Doordarshan's National Network.
FEATURE FILMS
Mr. Khandelwal has produced and directed a feature film called "MAUT KI SAZAA" which its hero and doyen of indian cinema, Shri Ashok Kumar hailed as "One of The Best films Of my career". It also starred star cast such as Aloknath, Sudhir Pande, Anita Raaj, Satish Kaushik, Sonika Gill, Ranjit and Dara Singh.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES
An Educational Programme conceived and directed by him titled "HOW TO PREPARE FOR IAS" is a landmark in the production of Educational Programmes.
Directed 50 part TV Serial FOOD STATION and 60 part TV Serial "LEARN HINDI" for International TV Network 'NAMASTE (UK)'. 18 part TV Serial RASOI was released on NEPC and DD International.
Producing a 152 Part TV Serial on International cuisine in 10 language titled "DESH VIDHESH KE VYANJAN".
AD-COMMERCIALS
Internationally renowned short film maker, made more than of short films and ad-commercials. Directed ad-commercials for international clients like FASHQUA (Japan), FABIOLALX (Japan), SILKISTAR (Dubai) etc. He is one of the most innovative directors of short commercials - PARAG SAREES, DOUBLE BULL SHIRTS, PRAFUL SAREES, CHAMAN BAHAR, CONCEPT SHIRTS, CHITRALEKHA, JK CEMENT, more than 300 such commercials.
MUSICAL PROGRAMMES
He directed many programmes on classical, traditional, Folk, Film and Pop music. The programmes like POP-STAR OF INDIA, BAPPY LAHIRI NITE, SAAT SURON KA SANGAM etc. proved very popular. Film music based TV Serials produecd and directed by him successfully ran on ATN Satellite titled "GEETMALA" AND "HANSEKE PHANSE". FILM "JADOO" and "HINDI POP SAB PAR TOP" proved very popular on NEPC. DAM DAM DIGA DIGA and PAANCH RUPYAYA BARA AANAA topped the popularity chart at Doordarshan (Bhopal).
SPORTS PROGRAMMES
Produced prestigious TV Serial BHARTYA KHEL and BHARTIYA BHACHCHON KE KHEL. Each 13 episodes. In this programmes first time rules and regulations of Indian Sports are taught.
CORPORATE/ INDUSTRIAL/ AGRICULTURE FILMS
He pioneered new concepts in Coroporate films. The Corporate, Agriculture, and Industrial films directed by him include films for BIRLA CEMENT, FEDERS LLOYS, PUNJ SONS, CYANAMID INDIA LTD., RAJSHREE CEMENT, SIPTA SURYA, BASF etc.
CHILDREN PROGRAMMES
He directed a documentary CIRCUS IN INDIA, which won International acclaim. His another TV Serial for children "MAYA JAAL" has been released on NAMASTE TV(UK)
Programme directed and produced by him are released on DD, ATN, NEPC, ASIANET(USA), NAMASTE (UK) etc.
The above is a list of his most notable achievements, but it is by it is by no mean complete or exhaustive. Mr. Devendra Khandelwal is not a person to rest on past laurels. He takes relentless efforts to make new films, which are both, informative as well as entertaining.