Filmmaker Shivan Giri explores the power of self-acceptance and tackles the roots of hatred in his latest projects

Dubai resident Shivan Giri is making waves in the film industry with his latest projects, which explore the themes of self-acceptance and the roots of hatred. Having started as an engineering graduate in Dubai, Giri's fascination with storytelling and the magic of filmmaking eventually led him to explore the art of filmmaking and break into the industry. He moved to Los Angeles for film school, with his focus on directing.

One of Giri's first projects was a short film called 'Abs of Steel', which was selected at the Los Angeles Film Festival and various other festivals. The film was about a young overweight man, who overcomes his physical insecurity by taking his shirt off in public, the film received numerous praises from audiences and critics. While the film was going through its festival run, he was offered a producing role on a project, which was how his journey as a producer began.

Giri's passion for producing led him to work on various projects, and he eventually received offers not only from A-list Hollywood professionals but also from Bollywood directors. He established his own production company in India called 'Cheat Meal Productions' and plans to expand the company to other regions, such as Los Angeles and Dubai.

One of the highlights of his career was working on the project 'Fracture' with Joel Novoa, known for directing the Netflix series 'Cobra Kai'. Fracture follows the story of a determined taxi driver, whose son fractures his arm in the school playground. The driver uncovers the perpetrator behind a Nazi symbol drawn on his son’s arm cast, delving into the origins of racism and the importance of challenging prejudiced beliefs and actions passed down through generations. The pilot episode has been successfully pitched to a major distribution company and an agreement is in place for the development of additional episodes. Giri anticipates that the project will be released on OTT platforms by December 2023.

Giri's latest projects tackle important themes of self-acceptance and the roots of hatred. He is currently developing 'Abs of Steel' as a TV show, which he is both producing and directing. The project is currently in the pre-production stages, and filming will begin in June 2023 in Mumbai, India.

When reflecting on his journey so far, Giri shared that the opportunity to collaborate with talented individuals and to be a part of exciting projects are some of the pros of a career in producing. However, Giri also admitted that the possibility of rejection can be challenging. Despite these difficulties, Giri remains dedicated to his dreams and is working with A-list Hollywood professionals while building his production company.

In a world where self-acceptance and the roots of hatred are important issues, Giri's latest projects serve as an inspiration to filmmakers and creatives worldwide. Giri's story proves that with passion and determination, anything is possible, no matter where you come from or what your background is.

Manish Gupta is a CEO of Express Digital System.

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