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{{Distinguish|Mani Shankar Aiyar}}

{{Multiple issues|
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=March 2022}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1957|08|03}}
| birth_place = [[Guntur]], India
| birth_name = Shankar Mani
| occupation = Film director, producer, writer, business magnate
| education = [[Hyderabad Public School]]
| alma_mater = [[BITS, Pilani]]
| years_active = 1980–present
| children = [[Prem Shankar]]
}}

'''Mani Shankar''' is a [[Bollywood]] [[film director]], holographic technology expert, writer and speaker.{{Promotion inline|date=May 2022}}

He best known for introducing CGI to India, blowing people's minds and being the architect of the world's first holographic political campaign that he designed for [[Narendra Modi]] during the [[2012 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election]]. It set a Guinness World record.<ref>{{cite web
| last =
| first =
| title = Narendra Modi's 3D avatar enters Guinness World Records
| publisher = NDTV
| date = 15 March 2013
| url = http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/narendra-modis-3d-avatar-enters-guinness-world-records-516286
| doi =
| access-date = 4 February 2015
| archive-date = 4 February 2015
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150204142133/http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/narendra-modis-3d-avatar-enters-guinness-world-records-516286
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

As a Bollywood Director he made 5 films including [[16 December (film)]] – was one of the highest-grossing films in the year of release; and [[Tango Charlie]] which was screened in several International Film Festivals and is a permanent part of the UN's films on Anti-war.

Over his long career, Mani Shankar has worked on many films, advertisement as well as campaigns for political leaders.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/naidu-dons-greasepaint/article4298881.ece |title=Naidu dons greasepaint |access-date=12 January 2013 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=12 January 2013 |archive-date=10 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110024548/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/naidu-dons-greasepaint/article4298881.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Early life==
Mani Shankar graduated as a [[Chemical Engineer]] from [[BITS Pilani]]<ref>{{cite web
| last =
| first =
| title = Ace Film Maker Mani Shankar gives BITS Pilani OASIS a Scintillating Start
| publisher = IndiaPrWire
| date = 17 October 2006
| url = http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/education/20061017798.htm
| doi =
| access-date = 22 December 2012
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170327185857/http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/education/20061017798.htm
| archive-date = 27 March 2017
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> in 1978. He worked for a few years as a research engineer in process engineering and drug delivery. During his time at [[BITS Pilani]] he won a record 4 consecutive Holofest 'Best Hologram Of The Year', earning the nickname "Young Mani".

==Career==
With over two decades of rich experience in the film industry, made a shift into film production and started his own production house Bhairav Films, where he made over 1000 ad films, short films image building films and 5 Hindi feature films. Most of his short films and feature films reflect a deep commitment to social causes and direct the audience towards soul searching and introspection.

In 1991, his Telugu film, ‘Manishi’ won him the coveted Golden Nandi award for Best Film, as well as Nandi Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay writer. His Hindi feature film [[16 December (film)|16 December]], which was among the top ten grossing films of 2002, with the highest return on investment for any film that year.

[[Tango Charlie]] was a story about a soldier's constant battle with his conscience. It was screened at several International film festivals and was included in Amnesty International's list of classic Anti War films.

Inspired by his history professor Indiana he decided to helm a career defining project that would encapsulate the experiences of his early twenties as an amateur archeologist, the film [[Rudraksh (film)|Rudraksh]] a futuristic supernatural film starring Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Suniel Shetty and Isha Kopikar. After the release of this film he was apparently visited often by forces of a secret Hindu organization who questioned his deep knowledge of the demon realm.

[[Mukhbir]] (starring Om Puri, Suniel Shetty, Samir Dattani and [[Raima Sen]]) was the story of a young man rising above the dangerous underworld and choosing to die a patriot. This was also critically acclaimed and screened at the Black International festival in Berlin.

[[Knock Out (2010 film)|Knock Out]] (starring Sanjay Dutt, Irrfan Kkhan and Kangana Ranaut).

Mani is an ardent believer in the simulated universe theory, he rather claims that our plain is a mirror of a simulated hologram, his idea's have been discussed in the works of acclaimed theoretical physicist [[Michio Kaku]].

==Filmography==
*''Manishi (1991)
*''[[Meri jaan Hindustan|Meri jaan Hindustan (Music Video)]]'' (1995)
*''[[16 December (film)|16 December]]'' (2002)
*''[[Rudraksh (film)|Rudraksh]]'' (2004)
*''[[Tango Charlie]]'' (2005)
*''[[Mukhbiir]]'' (2008)
*''[[Knock Out (2010 film)|Knock Out]]'' (2010)

== Holography ==

Mani Shankar is noted in India for introducing Holograms in India. He spearheaded the first holographic campaign for Mr. Narendra Modi ''(the current PM of India)'' during the [[2012 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election]].<ref>{{cite web |author=New York Times |url=http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/23/meet-virtual-modi-gujarat-chief-ministers-latest-tech-push/?_r=0 |title=Meet 'Virtual Modi,' Gujarat Chief Minister's Latest Tech Push |work=NYTimes.com |access-date=23 November 2012 |date=23 November 2012 |archive-date=9 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209154103/http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/23/meet-virtual-modi-gujarat-chief-ministers-latest-tech-push/?_r=0 |url-status=live }}</ref>

He has since conducted election campaigns for various parties including the [[Telangana Rashtra Samithi]] during the [[2014 Telangana Legislative Assembly election]], which eventually led to their victory,<ref>{{cite web |author=Z News |url=http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/nobody-has-the-kind-of-experience-in-holograms-like-i-do-mani-shankar_154348.html |title=Nobody has the kind of experience in holograms like I do: Mani Shankar |website=zeenews.india.com/ |access-date=30 April 2014 |date=30 April 2014 |archive-date=2 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502023141/http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/nobody-has-the-kind-of-experience-in-holograms-like-i-do-mani-shankar_154348.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
as well as the [[Nationalist Congress Party]] during the [[2014 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election]] which stemmed the decline of the party even though there was rampant anti-incubency that worked against it and its allies.<ref>{{cite web |author=NCP |url=http://ncp.org.in/mobile_feature/stories/formedia/2134 |title=NCP Reaches People Through 3D Campaigning |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150210050220/http://ncp.org.in/mobile_feature/stories/formedia/2134 |archive-date=10 February 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

== Augmented Reality ==

In February 2017 Mani Shankar launched the first live augmented reality political campaign in the world for Shri Devendra Fadnavis, the honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra State, India. For the first time it enabled an electoral candidate to enter people's homes and softly pitch for votes. The voters could also take selfies with the candidate, and indeed many did so and posted on social media.<ref>{{cite web |author=NCP |title=A new reality |url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/in-other-news/150217/a-new-reality.html |date=14 February 2017 |access-date=6 October 2017 |archive-date=10 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110024530/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/in-other-news/150217/a-new-reality.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The campaign was declared a success. The effectivity of AR as a political campaign tool was established.<ref>{{cite web |author=NCP |title=Maharashtra: BJP takes a digital leap to woo voters ahead of civic polls |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/maharashtra-civic-polls-bmc-bjp-goes-digital/1/883694.html |access-date=6 October 2017 |archive-date=18 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018083840/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/maharashtra-civic-polls-bmc-bjp-goes-digital/1/883694.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

A series of Life Size AR projects followed in fields ranging from Film publicity, Sports, spirituality and corporate launches. Spiritual Guru Swami Ganapathy Sachidananda, former Cricket Captain Kapil Dev, Movie Star Rana Dagubbati star of the blockbuster Bahubali are some of the top celebrities who have appeared as AR for various promotional and communication purposes.<ref>{{cite web|author=NCP|title=3D Augmented Reality for Rana Nene Raju Nene Mantri|url=http://english.tupaki.com/movienews/article/3D-Augmented-Reality-for-Rana-Nene-Raju-Nene-Mantri/56443|access-date=6 October 2017|archive-date=7 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007021242/http://english.tupaki.com/movienews/article/3D-Augmented-Reality-for-Rana-Nene-Raju-Nene-Mantri/56443|url-status=live}}</ref>

A R Rahman has announced on his official Facebook page that he got his Augmented Reality Channels done by Mani Shankar & Kaali Sudheer to give a chance to click pictures for his fans.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/music/300118/augmented-reality-rahman.html|title = Augmented Reality Rahman|date = 29 January 2018|access-date = 30 January 2018|archive-date = 30 January 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180130082323/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/music/300118/augmented-reality-rahman.html|url-status = live}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|1200832}}
* {{Official website|http://www.musionentertainment.com/#videos}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shankar, Mani}}
[[Category:Hindi-language film directors]]
[[Category:Telugu people]]
[[Category:Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1957 births]]

Mani Shankar - Revision history

UpdateBot at 06:59, 3 June 2022