Background
Nair was born in Chandigarh, India to diplomat parents but was raised in Europe, Africa and Asia before going on to live and work in New York, Paris, Prague, Berlin and Mumbai.
Nair was born in Chandigarh, India to diplomat parents but was raised in Europe, Africa and Asia before going on to live and work in New York, Paris, Prague, Berlin and Mumbai.
As a result of his upbringing, Nair is fluent in English, French and Hindi and has studied Italian, German and Arabic.
He credits his constant moving and exposure to different parts of the world as the biggest impact on the subjects of his films. He initially worked as a successful social media entrepreneur well until late 2010 when he first transitioned towards a career in film. His first full-length film was the micro-budget Delhi In A Day which had a limited theatrical release in India in 2012 and was well received by critics, voted one of the top ten independent films of 2012 by Times of India.
lieutenant"s European premiere took place at the 2015 Karlovy Vary Film Festival following which the film went on to play at over forty international film festivals, picking up numerous accolades including the Himachal Pradesh Bridging the Borders Award at the 2016 Palm Springs International Film Festival and the FIPRESCI Critic"s prize at the Cairo International Film Festival 2015.
Shortly after its premiere, theatrical rights of the film were sold by sales agent Beta Cinema to France, Germany, Austria, Australia, South of Korea and numerous other territories, making it one of the most widely distributed Indian independent films of all time. Nair said that the film is "about the mythology of America and, more generally, how cultures perceive each other: the stereotypes, assumptions, misunderstandings and labeling as “exotic” of all things unfamiliar".
The film currently holds an 83% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Himachal Pradesh Briding The Borders Award. Palm Springs International Film Festival, 2016. (Umrika) FIPRESCI Critic"s Prize. Cairo International Film Festival, 2015. (Umrika) (Nominated) Golden Pyramid Award. Cairo International Film Festival, 2015. (Umrika) Audience Award, World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Sundance Film Festival, 2015. (Umrika) (Nominated) Grand Jury Prize, World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Sundance Film Festival, 2015. (Umrika) Director"s Vision Award. Stuttgart Film Festival, 2012. (Delhi In A Day) (Nominated) Golden Crow Pheasant. Kerala International Film Festival, 2012. (Delhi In A Day).
