Mayank Shekhar is an Indian film critic, journalist and author.[1] He has been a film critic and a national cultural editor with Hindustan Times.[2] He previously worked under Mumbai Mirror and MiD DAY.[3][4] He also used to write a blog, Fad For Thought, at the Hindustan Times website.[2] Currently, his reviews appear on his website theW14.com and also at the Dainik Bhaskar in different languages. He is the editorial head of Mid-Day entertainment and the host of the online talk show Sit with Hitlist. He is also an advisory member for the Central Board of Film Certification.[5]
Early life and education
editShekhar completed his schooling from Delhi Public School, R. K. Puram, Delhi in 1998 and thereafter graduated in Economics from St. Stephen's College, Delhi, in 2001 and moved to Mumbai thereafter.[6] He currently resides at Chembur.[7]
Career
editShekhar moved to Mumbai after his studies and started his career as film journalist, eventually he came to head the features team at Mumbai Mirror for two years and was also part of the Mid-Day features team for four years.[8]
In 2006, Bombay Talkies, a book authored by Shekhar was published by Frog Books.[9] The book is a compilation of film reviews written by Shekhar from 2004 to 2005. In a review, Bollywood Hungama wrote that the book "qualifies more as his [Shekhar's] personal portfolio or his extended resume."[1]
Shekhar is a member of the Central Board of Film Certification.[5][10]
Shekhar has gained popularity for his film reviews.[8][11] According to Rediff, Shekhar belongs to breed of film critics who "bring sense, and a measure of cinematic sensibility, to their writing".[12] He has been the recipient of a number of awards. In 2004, he was one of 21 recipients of the 5th "Young Achievers Awards" by the Indo-American Film Society for his work as a film critic.[4] In 2007 he was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.[13] In 2021, he won the Best Talk Show Host award for his online show Sit with Hitlist at the 5th Annual Talentrack Awards.[14]
He currently runs a cinema website called theW14.com.
He has authored a book, Name Place Animal Thing.[15][5] The Telegraph described it as "a collection of essays on a number of aspects of popular Indian culture - ranging from cinema and drinking to politics and music - that are often glossed over".[8]
Bibliography
edit- Bombay Talkies, Frog Books (IND), 2006.
- Name Place Animal Thing, 2016
References
edit- ^ a b Malani, Gaurav (12 July 2006). "Book Review: Bombay Talkies by Mayank Shekhar". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ a b Fad for Thought Archived 1 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Hindustan Times
- ^ Iyer, Meena (29 April 2007). "Death of the critic". The Times of India. TNN. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ a b Raje, Ashish (20 December 2004). "Bard of bedroom when lights are off". MiD DAY. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ a b c "I am not a victim of writer's block: Mayank Shekhar". The Asian Age. 15 June 2016. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ "Why I am a critic". Berlin International Film Festival, Berlinale Talent Campus. 21 December 2009. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ "I live in Chembur!". Mumbai Mirror. 7 December 2007. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ a b c "Paperback Pickings: Friends and modern families". The Telegraph. 26 February 2016. Archived from the original on 22 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Paperback Pickings: Murder on the menu". The Telegraph. 7 July 2006. Archived from the original on 22 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ Shekhar, Mayank (19 June 2012). "An Insider's View of the Film Censor Board". India Ink - The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ Bharathi S., Pradhan (11 October 2015). "Breakups, Twitter style". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
Thirty-something Mayank Shekhar, the man she's seeing, is popular for his film reviews.
- ^ Woods, Bolly (3 October 2007). "Are film critics 'retards'?". Rediff.com. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards 2006-2007". The Indian Express. Indian Express Limited. Archived from the original on 11 October 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ "Kiara Advani, Manoj Bajpayee, Anurag Basu, and other top stars shine at the 5th Annual Talentrack Awards". ThePrint. ANI. 25 August 2021. Archived from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ Shekhar, Mayank (12 January 2015). Name Place Animal Thing. Prakash Book Depot. ISBN 978-8175993150.