Anusha Rizvi

Anusha Rizvi (born 13 March 1978) is an Indian film director and screenwriter. Formerly a journalist, Anusha's directorial debut, Peepli Live, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2010 in the World Competition Section. It was the first Indian film to be accepted in the 25 years of the festival's existence. The film also won the Best First Film Award at the Durban film festival and the Gollapudi Srinivas Award.

The film was later selected as India's official entry to the 83rd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. She has directed two BBC documentaries Amul and Khadi.^{[citation needed]} As well as having worked as an associate producer on a National Geographic documentary Hijack IC-814.

Anusha Rizvi was a journalist before venturing into film direction. She graduated in history from St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi. She approached Aamir Khan to make the film who finally did support her with "Peepli Live".

As of 2020, Rizvi was developing a series entitled "Dastan-e-Haroun". Based on Salaman Rushdie's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories", adapted by Poonam Girdhani and to be directed by Mahmood Farooqui for the leading Indian platform, Hotstar.

Anusha is married to noted writer and film director Mahmood Farooqui. Daughter of Pro. Mujeeb Rizvi, who founded Hindi department of Jamia Millia Islamia in 1971.