Voice of the youth

Entrepreneur and former Bahrain resident Nikhil Taneja is elated as a short film he co-produced is winning hearts globally and lapping up awards.

Gray, a movie about ‘consent’, has won several honours including the famed Filmfare Awards that recognises artistic and technical excellence in the Indian film industry.

The movie, screened at several international film festivals, revolves around the emotional struggles of a girl in her 20s, Naina, whose best friend violates her consent. The plot then follows her journey with her therapist during which she discovers and clearly defines her boundaries.

“Gray was one of two short films we made with Amazon on an issue that we have heard young people – particularly women – speak of repeatedly across our campus roadshows - consent,” the 37-year-old Indian filmmaker told GulfWeekly.

The movie was released under the banner of Yuvaa Originals, a studio under Yuvaa, a media company launched by Nikhil along with his film-making partners Amritpal Singh Bindra and Anand Tiwari in 2018.

Yuvaa (‘youth’ in Hindi) is a platform that listens to young individuals, using the power of storytelling to make them feel a little less lonely, according to the Yuvaa co-founder and chief, who currently resides in Mumbai.

It offers a stage for discussion and debate on burning topics impacting those in the age group of 16 to 35, from mental health and body positivity to climate change and youth rights.

Yuvaa co-produced another film, Tasalli Se (‘to my satisfaction’ in Hindi), last year, which revolves around two friends who have a fallout after a spat on social media but reconcile after 12 long years.

“Gray was premiered at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival last year,” Nikhil added.

“It has travelled to several festivals across India and internationally and won many awards, including the Filmfare for Best Director of a short film to Sakshi Gurnani (also the story writer with concept creator Puneet Ruparel), but what we remain most grateful about is how it’s made several young people feel a little less alone.

“We have received hundreds of messages from young women who have resonated with the film, and who were waiting for someone to have a meaningful conversation on a topic like this through the medium of cinema.”

Nikhil has also created and hosted a chat show called Be A Man, Yaar! as part of a Yuvaa campaign. 

“In the 10-episode series, I host some of India’s (and South Asia’s) most loved men (and some women) to have conversations on positive masculinity and this series is close to my heart,” he said.

“It’s an attempt to include men in the conversation about gender and to create a kind and empathetic community and safe space for them to be able to express their vulnerabilities and emotions, without judgement.

“The show has received an incredible amount of love in the last few months since it released.”

Growing up on the island with his brother, Nikhil studied at Indian School Bahrain. In 2004, he moved to India to pursue his higher education but continues to visit the kingdom as his parents, Sarita and Pradeep Taneja, still live here.

An engineer by qualification, Nikhil gave up his well-paying job to pursue his passion – journalism, the foundations for which were also laid in Bahrain.

“In addition to creating short films, chat shows, podcasts, and short and long-form content on youth issues, Yuvaa also does youth research, impact-focused campaigns in partnership with non-profits, as well as campus activations across India,” he said.

Though the context of their content is primarily Indian, the topics they address are universal. 

“The biggest thing we are working towards is to expand Yuvaa to the Middle East and Africa,” Nikhil added.

“We are also looking to launch a bunch of original chat shows and hopefully even a series and movie in 2024 through Yuvaa Originals.

“Further, we hope to put together awards and conclaves for the youth.”

Gray, a Hindi language movie with English subtitles, is available on Amazon.

For more details, follow @weareyuvaa on Instagram and YouTube.