Biography
A Committed Cine Pro, Profound Philosopher and Focal Food Appraiser...
Born and brought up in Sonipat, Haryana, Manav Kaushik is the youngest of three brothers that Dr. R.P. Kaushik and Mrs. Rama Kaushik had. Manav Kaushik's first and foremost achievement was well recognized when he was studying in 5th Standard and had won State Scholarship and with that was also adjudged the Best Student who had the most beautiful handwriting in the entire state. After completing matriculation in Sonipat for which he had again won the National Scholarship, he had decided to shift to Delhi and got enrolled in Delhi University.
While studying, Manav would participate in debates and poetry competitions and host amateur radio shows for All India Radio. He was recommended by A.I.R. to the Trade Fair Authority of India (T.F.A.I) and became an announcer there. In the year, 1983 he went to Switzerland and completed PG in Hospitality Management from César Ritz Colleges, Switzerland and worked in Zurich. As soon as he returned from Switzerland, he was invited by India's most prominent educational institution Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, Delhi Chapter, to create and cultivate School of Hospitality Management and Tourism and till year 1990 he remained as Founder Director of the same for 4 years.
While making short educational films for his school, he got introduced to Bollywood and the small child in him who was forever a remarkable story teller with god gifted flair to draw and paint ultimately decided to shift his base from Delhi to Mumbai.
After having waited for almost 9 months without any work, he was fortunate enough to meet India's ace producer and director Mr. Vidhu Vinod Chopra. He joined him as a trainee and by genuine devotion and dedication, hard work and intense interest, he became his 1st Assistant Director for the magnum opus '1942 - A Love Story'.
As an assistant, he would be asked to do mechanicals, play characters for the lighting and camera setups and this task was so very well appreciated by senior cast and crew that he was offered a small role in 'Kareeb' (1998). During rushes, since it was realized that he was an amazing performer, the role was increased and Manav Kaushik became an actor. The movie did not do well at the Box Office but two characters were extremely appreciated - The new leading girl Neha and the character of Ram Kumar, magnificently played by Manav Kaushik.
Just after that, today's well-known film and music director Vishal Bhardwaj who was making a tele-film 'Ddhain-te-Ddain' for ZEE Channel, asked him to play the 'common man' in it.
Manav Kaushik, who did short film related courses in the US and in India, came in contact with Hungarian Director Istvan Gaal at the F.T.I.I. who taught and trained him further privately. Manav Kaushik who has more than 450 film based TV shows to his credit as a researcher and script writer, is an incalculable thinker and is involved in talks, does hold film based workshops and works as a 'script doctor' for film projects.
Manav Kaushik's very first and foremost short film 'A Date with the Unknown' won the Best Thriller Award in FICOCC, Venezuela in 2017 and was selected by Jagran Film Festival, India. In 2018, his second short film 'A Threshold, Alone' (chiefly a Bengali song with visuals, penned by him and sung by Bollywood Singer Sanjeevani) got completed which was selected and screened in 14 International Film Festivals abroad. However, due to some unknown reasons, it was never submitted to any Indian Film Festival. The all-inclusive Short Film Bhalobasar Songe, Bhalobasar Jonye (For Love, with Love) in Bengali followed next that contained the song released earlier. This specific short film had only 51 screenings that included 50 International Film Festivals and one Special Screening @ the India Habitat Centre (IHC), Delhi, India. Available in seven international languages, BJBS (For Love, with Love) had several nominations and wins such as Best Short Film, Best Director, Best Actress (nomination), Best Supporting Actor, Best Music Director, Best Playback Singer, Best Original Background score etc.
After having watched BJBS (For Love, with Love), an ardent fan and a follower of Manav Kaushik, who happens to be a well-known Veteran Actor and Singer with more than 125 prestigious awards to her credit including a nomination and an Oscar wanted a 100M project (Indian Indie Films and Folk Theatre) to be designed and developed by Manav Kaushik but the offer was declined by him due to medical reasons.
Also a proficient food expert and a serious and significant critic, Manav who had done about 100 Cookery Shows in the past is working these days on a book that verbalizes "single-pot" cooking.
"As an eater, do not just stuff your stomach because you are hungry. Eat gradually, chew gently, let juices of the food item flow out, adore and appreciate the taste and flavors. Consider yourself to be a connoisseur and you would love what you are eating. And if you are to cook, prepare each item with immense care and concern, and try to retain original colors, flavors and juices - what you serve is not food but love." - Manav Kaushik
Manav is the Permanent President of DYS Trust that has an Ashram in Dalhousie, India. In between his literary projects "Towards Pure Perception", "Beyond Moon", and "Life as Observed and Absorbed", Manav has been, for quite some time, trying to develop a new cocktail named 'Bollywood' for a renowned hotel chain.
