Dr. Debjani Halder

Associate Professor

Dr Debjani Halder is a national and international award-winning scholar and filmmaker. She has received Fellowship Awards from National Film Archive of India, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Rashtrapati Nivas, European Excellence Fellowship Awards of Central European University, Budapest, Dr S. Radhakrishnan Fellowship, Postdoctoral Fellowship, Indian Council of Social Science Research, (Ministry of HRD, and Government of India), and Charles Wallace India Trust. Her documentary Documenting Agony Ritwik and The Dark fetched several national and International Awards, including National Film Award in 2010 and 2014. Her documentary Ethos of Darkness received the best Science and Technology film in 69th National Film Awards. She is author of 3 monographs and published almost 30 articles in several National and International journals and books.

Manipal Institute of Communication

Qualification: PhD in film studies, Jadavpur University, MA (Gold Medallist), Jadavpur University, Former Fellow of the National Film Archive Of India 2022, Former Fellow of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Former European Excellence Fellow - Central European University Budapest, Former Dr.S Radhakrishnan Postdoctoral Fellow, UGC- Calcutta University, Former ICSSR Postdoctoral Fellow JNU, and Former Charles Wallace India Trust Fellow

CURRENT ACADEMIC ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES

    Associate Professor of Filmmaking, Project Director of ICSSR Major Research Grant Project

SUBJECTS CURRENTLY TEACHING

Subject Semester / Year
Introduction to Film 4
Film Theory and Criticism 2

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

Degree Specialisation Institute Year of passing
PhD Film Studies Jadavpur University 2011
MA Social History Jadavpur University 2006
BA History Presidency College, University of Calcutta 2004

Experience

Institution / Organisation Designation Role Tenure
RV University Programme Head of Filmmaking Teaching Filmmaking, Script Writing, Film Theory, Cinematography and Production Designing 2022 March 2023 November
Chandigarh University Visiting Faculty of Documentary Filmmaking Mentoring Documentary Filmmaking 2022 Jan 2022 Feb
Film and Television Institute of India Associate Professor of Film Appreciation & Film Research Officer Teaching, Research 2019 October to 2022 January
Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Rashtrapati Nivas Fellow Writing a Monograph 2018 June-2019 September
Central European University Budapest European Excellence Fellow Research, Teaching 2018 Jan-2018 June
University of Calcutta Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Fellow Research, Teaching 2015- March to 2018 Feb
Jawaharlal Nehru University ICSSR Postdoctoral Fellow Research 2013 March-2015 February

• Film and Television Institute of India & Indian New Wave Cinema: A Pedagogical Transition from Methodological convergence towards New Cognitive Divergence.

• Ethos of Darkness: Swapan Nandy A Magician of the Darkroom

• Trend and Trajectories of Indian Parallel Cinema, the research had done as IIAS fellow in Shimla, Indian Institute of Advanced Study.

• Bodies Across Boundaries: Representing Indian Sex Workers in Post Nineties International Cinema: A Feminist Approach. The research had done as Excellence Research Fellowship at Central European University.

• Polyandry in India: A Sexual Slavery of Women: has done as the UGC-IUC associate in IIAS, Shimla,

• Identity of Motherhood and Indian Cinema, the research was completed as Dr S. Radhakrishnan Postdoctoral Fellow in India, University of Calcutta.

• Shifting identities of Women Protagonist in Post Nineties Indian Alternative Cinema: A Feminist Approach. The project was completed as a postdoctoral fellow of Indian Council of Social Science Research, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India

AREAS OF INTEREST, EXPERTISE AND RESEARCH

Area of Interest

Filmmaking, Script Screen Play, Film Theory and Criticism, Film Curation, Gender and Sexuality studies, Human Rights, Migration

Area of Expertise

Filmmaking, Film Studies, Gender Studies

Area of Research

Indian Parallel Cinema, European Cinema, History of National Cinema and Film Movements, Indian New Wave, Psychoanalysis in Film, Film and Gender, Masculinity Studies, Film Theory

Professional Affiliations & Contributions

  1. Member of FIPRESCI
  2. Life Member IAWS

Artist and Social Life: Trajectories of Indian Parallel Cinema

July 2021 Avenel Publication, India, ISBN 978-93-90873-34-0 Debjani Halder

The Rhetorical Construction of Motherhood in Indian Alternative Cinema, the article was published in the book : Critics of Indian Cinema: An Anthology, Edited by MK Raghavendra and VK Josheph

October 2021 ISBN-978-0-615-26033-0 DebjaniHalder

Illuminating Agony: Ritwik

DREAMZ Publication ISBN 978-81-931232-0-1 DebjaniHalder

From Wheel Chair to Margarita: Love and Desire, the article was published in the book ‘Perception and Portrayal of Women with Disabilities: Remapping their Identity’ edited by Nandita Dhawan

Authors press, New Delhi ISBN-13: 978-9386722768 Debjani Halder

Hazar Churashiki Ma to Kalbela” : Political Construction of Love and Intimacy in Naxalite Movement: A Feminist Contemplation. Published in the book Empowering Women, Reflection and Trajectories. By Roy Disari and Guha Priyanka

Manav Prakashan, 2022 September ISBN- 978-93-90462-00-1 Debjani Halder

Magician of the Darkroom: An Anthology

Manav Prakashan July 2023 ISBN - 978-93-90462-10-0 Debjani Halder

Unbalancing Life and Vanquish Manhood: Depiction of Unemployed Hero in Post Partition Indian Cinema (1950s to 1960s), the article published in the book “The Unheard Voice- Challenges of Men" edited by Krishnendu Roy.

September 2023 Red Unicorn Publishing, Sweeden. ISBN-10: 91-89764-46-3 Debjani Halder

    The Transition (2009)

    Documentary film project

    2) Water Sentenced (2010)

    Documentary film project

    3) Utmost Pain: Their Stories (2011)

    Documentary film project

    4) Documenting Agony Ritwik (2010)

    Documentary film project

    5) The Dark (2013)

    Documentary film project

    6) The Saga of Seven Sisters (2018)

    Documentary film project

    7) Ethos of Darkness (2022)

    Documentary film project

    8) Film Project: Durga Durga (2022) (As Costume Designer)

    Documentary film project

    9) Upcoming Docu-fiction A Sight of distressed mind: Voices from Homeless (January 2024)

    Documentary film project