Manav Kaul (born 19 December 1976) is an Indian theatre director, playwright, author, actor and filmmaker. He won the Filmfare OTT Award 2023 for Best Actor for the short film Phir Kabhi apart from being nominated for the same award in 2024 (Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper) and 2021 (Ajeeb Daastaans). He was also nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the films Tumhari Sulu (2017) and Saina (2021).
Early life Kaul was born on 19 December 1976 in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, India, into a Kashmiri Pandit family. He studied till the 4th standard in Baramulla, before his family moved to Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
He was a competitive swimmer in his late teenage years and participated in state and national levels championships. He won 14 national medals in swimming.
Career Theatre Kaul started a theatre group named Aranya in 2004. He was influenced by Charles Bukowski, Vinod Kumar Shukla, and Nirmal Verma, to whom he paid homage in his 2010 play Red Sparrow.
He has written and directed 13 plays. Among his notable plays are Ilhaam, Park and Shakkar Ke Paanch Daane (), the last one being his first work as playwright and director.
In 2004, Kaul staged Shakkar Ke Paanch Daane, a dramatic monologue in Hindi about a small-towner whose "structured middle-India existence begins to feel suspiciously like a lie." It featured actor Kumud Mishra, who was to become his longtime collaborator. The Mumbai Theatre Guide wrote, "the final poetic denouement is neat, funny, reflective but unfortunately all too expected, all too perfect." The play was a stage hit and was performed in English in 2009, from a translation by Arshia Sattar.
In his next play, Peele Scooter Wala Aadmi Kaul explored a father-son relationship in an open-ended narrative, and adopted a style of poetic dialogue similar to that employed by Vinod Kumar Shukla and Nirmal Verma. It won him a Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Award (META) for Best Script in 2006.
In 2006, moving away from internal monologues, Kaul staged a bitter-sweet meditation on old age called Bali aur Shambhu, featuring Sudhir Pandey and Mishra. The Times of India found it "not as philosophical as Shakkar Ke Paanch Daane, yet, it's a story that tugs at your heartstrings and has its moments," while the Mumbai Theatre Guide described it as "one of those plays that appeal to the senses but not to the intellect." Said Kaul, "I wrote the play after I visited an old-age home. I wanted to show that people in old-age homes also have fun."
In 2009, Kaul directed Ranga Shankara's Hindi adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre's Huis Clos, with The Hindu describing his "treatment of non-verbal, physical expression" as impressive.
Set in 1994, Chuhal, written by Kaul talks about in love, relationships and marriages set in pre-technology times, and has toured in Zee Theater in Mumbai and Delhi, by Theatrenama in Bangalore, and more than one in Hyderabad, once at Ravindra Bharathi and another time at Rangbhoomi Spaces by KissaGo Theatre Group.
Cinema In 2012, Kaul debuted as a film director with Hansa for which he also wrote the screenplay. He made his acting debut in Hindi cinema with fantasy film Jajantaram Mamantaram in 2003, and has been lauded for his performance as a right-wing politician in the Gujarat-based Hindi drama Kai Po Che! in 2013.
Writing Kaul is a writer who writes on themes of isolation, nostalgia, rootlessness and existentialism etc. Some of his notable books include Chalta Phirta Pret, Antima, Bahut Door Kitna Door Hota hai, Theek Tumhare Peeche. Kaul's recently published novel Rooh explores his journey back to his lost motherland, Kashmir.
Filmography All films and shows in Hindi unless otherwise stated.
Film actor Year Title Role Notes2003Jajantaram Mamantaram Jeran Debut film2004Saatchya Aat Gharat Venky Marathi film2006ContinuumSecurity guardShort film 20071971Flight Lt. Ram2010Daayen Ya BaayenSundar I AmManav Anthology film. Segment – Afia2013Kai Po Che! Bishakh "Bittu" Joshi2014CityLightsVishnu Nominated - Screen Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role (Male), 20152016Wazir Yazaad Qureshi Nominated -Zee Cine Awards, Best Actor in a Negative Role, 2017Jai Gangaajal MLA Babloo PandeyMaroon Saurabh Sharma A Scandall Manav2017 Jolly LLB 2Iqbal QasimTumhari Sulu Ashok DubeyNominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor, 20172018DobaaraMohan Short film by Bejoy Nambiar KashmirUnnamed Short film by Terribly Tiny Tales2019Music TeacherBeni Madhav SinghNetflix filmAlbert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyun Aata Hai?Albert Pinto Badla Jimmy Punjabi 2020ThappadRohit Jaisingh2021Nail PolishVeer Singh, ‘Ranjit’, ‘Charu Raina’Zee5 film12 'O' Clock Francis D'SouzaMadam Chief MinisterDanish Khan SainaCoach Sarvadhaman RajanNominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor, 2022 Ajeeb Daastaans KabirNetflix anthology film. Segment - Ankahi. Nominated - Filmfare OTT Awards, Best Actor: Web Original Film, 2021 Dybbuk Markus Amazon Prime Video film2022 Jalsa Anand Amazon Prime Video film Phir Kabhi Husband Short film by Nihit Bhave2023 Chaar Chappalein Rajat Short filmTrial Period Prajapati Dwivedi, "PD" JioCinema film 2025BaramullaDSP Ridwaan SayyedNetflix film
Film director Year Title Notes2012Hansa Film directorial debut2021TathagatStreaming on MUBI India
Television Year Serial Role Channel Notes Ref Banegi Apni Baat Zee TV 1998, 1999 Mujhe Chaand Chahiye Mohan 1998 X Zone Ajit Episode 81 2000 CID Neeraj Sony TVSeason 1, Episode 115, 116 (The Case of the Missing Man: Part 1 and 2) Vikrant's brother Season 1, Episode 141 (The Case Of Silent Witness: Part 1) 2000–2001 Sukanya B4U 2001 Aahat Jeetu Sony TV Season 1, Episode 284 and 285 (Nightmare Disco) Bhabhi Rakesh Chopra Episode 4402003 CID Kantora Sony TV Season 3, Episode 253, 254 (The Case Of The Tempting Diamond: Part 1 and 2)2005 CID Special Bureau Yashwant Episode 7, 8 (Poisonous Panther) Raat Hone Ko Hai Siddharth Pratap Singh Sahara One Story 45: Episode 177 - 180 (Shaadi) 2006 CID Suraj Sony TV Season 5, Episode 416 (Red Rose Killer)
Web series Year Title Role Service Notes Ref2017 A.I.SHA: My Virtual Girlfriend Prof Kishore Saraswat Arré Season 2 2018 Ghoul Colonel Sunil Dacunha NetflixMini series2019 The Verdict - State vs Nanavati Kawas Nanavati ZEE5 2020 Amazon Prime Video Unreleased 2022 The Fame Game Manish Khanna Netflix 2024 Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper Tribhuvan Mishra Netflix 2025Real Kashmir Football Club Shirish KemmuSonyLIV
Awards and nominations
Theatre
Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Award for Best Script, 2006. Hindustan Times Mumbai's Most Stylish Theatre Personality Award, 2017.
Cinema Filmfare Awards YearFilmCategoryResultRef2017 Tumhari SuluBest Supporting Actor 2022 Saina
Filmfare Short Film Awards YearFilmCategoryResultRef 2023 Phir KabhiBest Actor Male
Filmfare OTT Awards
YearCategoryFilmResultRef2021Best Actor: Web Original FilmAjeeb Daastaans2023Best Actor in a Short FilmPhir Kabhi2024Best Actor: ComedyTribhuvan Mishra CA Topper
Screen Awards YearCategoryFilmResultRef2015Best Actor in a Negative Role (Male)CityLights
Zee Cine Awards YearCategoryFilmResultRef2017 Best Actor in a Negative RoleWazir
Bibliography Kaul's works are: Theek Tumhare Peeche (30 March 2022): Novel Rooh (7 June 2022): Travelogue. English translation: Rooh (2023). Titali (17 January 2023): Novel Tooti Hui Bikhri Hui (1 August 2023): Novel Patjhad (23 November 2023): Novel Katranein (29 May 2024): Neither story nor poetry. Sakshatkaar (10 October 2024): Novel Sanyam (18 July 2025): Novel Nastik Ki Prarthana (May 2026): Poetry collection
References
External links
Manav Kaul at Indiancine.ma