Films and acting have empowered me: Actor-director Manahar Kumar 

In an interview with The Hindu, the young performer opens up about his journey, acting process, future projects and more 

From performing street plays in Chandigarh to bagging two Student Emmys, Manahar Kumar has come a long way. The young actor-director’s filmography touches upon intricate and sensitive subjects that have won him multiple international awards.  In 2018, his first short film as a director, a documentary titled  Kya Dekh Raha Hai? that follow the lives of kids who sell alcohol bottles for survival,  won him his first student Emmy. His thesis film for his college, the Savanah College of Art & Design,  Stardust fetched him the Audience Award at Georgia Film Festival, and recently, he won another student Emmy (Talent Performance category) for his role in the film  Distant. 

As far as I can remember, films have always been my first best friend; making me laugh and giving me dreams to aspire to. In high school, while balancing math and science, acting became my elixir. Through experiences in college, in street plays, the stage and shorts, I devoted many hours to the craft. While in the U.S., I invested time in observation, reading and writing, creating scripts and acting in films.