Theatre workshop with tribal girls in Bali, Rajasthan
Community video session in progress in slums of Ahmedabad
Presenting a paper at UNESCO Chair International Scientific Conference on Technologies for Development 2010, in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Kanu is a traveller, a writer and an obsessive story teller. He has been a film director and a creative producer in visual arts for a decade now. His continuous search for a story takes him to various parts of the country and the world.His travels are a string of vibrant conversations with people he meets.His innate ability to interact and understand people attracted him to the idea of getting involved in a Community Video Project as a Trainer.Under his guidance his community video unit produced and screened 16 films on issues relevant to the producers and their area. He has been invited to the Panjea day celebrations in Universal Studios LA, US and Lausane,Switzerland to present on his community video experiences for the UNESCO international conference.
Kanu’s medium for story telling are his subjects. He does not believe in creating an external narrative but lets the subject's reality drive the story. This approach captures the everyday struggles of people who are usually reduced to statistics.He is also known for the grit and vigour with which he encapsulates the issues of the subject with minimum intrusion in their daily lives. His films are therefore earthy, organic and frank account of the subject’s life without the influence of rhetoric.His extensive experience in making films from a development lens and community training has given him a grip on the reality as well as the skill to communicate with his subject in a way that is relevant and entertaining without being condescending.
Kanu founded Communicare, a production company managed by team of high energy, creative, hands on professionals. Communicare works with NGO’s, Companies, civil society groups and other institutions to strategize and build their communication programs through various mediums - conventional and experimental. He has worked on 40 films and has independently directed more then twenty films across his banner Communicare.
Kanu satiates his creative appetite through his Video Installation projects and his writing. His script on environment "the power of one", won him the Germanwatch award in 2012. Video Installation as a contemporary art form that combines video technology and installation art gives him the space to explore new ideas and new techniques. He is a prolific writer. His works include creative pieces based on various social and development issues.
Kanu lives out of a suitcase between Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Delhi and wherever his work takes him. He loves new challenges and exploring new platforms to tell his stories.