Vinil Mathew

Vinil Mathew (born 1977) is an Indian filmmaker and writer, who predominantly directs and produces television commercials. He has also directed two feature films. After studying filmmaking at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), he made advertisement campaigns for several brands, including Vodafone, Nescafe and Cadbury.[1][2]

Vinil Mathew
Born1977 (age 45–46)
Delhi, India
Alma materFilm and Television Institute of India
Occupation(s)Film director, advertisement director, writer
Years active2000–present
SpouseShweta Venkat-Matthew

In feature films, Vinil has directed the 2014 romantic comedy Hasee Toh Phasee, which was a critical and commercial success,[3][4][5] and the 2021 romantic thriller Haseen Dillruba, which became the most-watched Hindi film on Netflix of that year.[6]

Early life

Vinil Mathew was born in a Malayali family in Delhi.[1] He went to St. Columba's School, Delhi.[7] Vinil was interested in films from a young age and said that watching Mani Ratnam's Roja (1992) when he was in class 10 inspired him to be a filmmaker.[8]

Vinil pursued Economics honours from Delhi University.[9] After graduation, he studied filmmaking at the Film and Television Institute of India.[1] He then studied films further at the University of Television and Film Munich, where he made his graduating short film Danke schon Bitte Schon.[10]

Career

Advertising

Vinil moved to Mumbai in 2000 and joined the advertisement company, Highlight Films, where he assisted Prasoon Pandey. After two years, he started his own production company named Nomad Films.[1] He then joined Footcandles films, under which he worked on advertisements for Reliance, Vodafone and Airtel.[1] In the ad for the last of these brands, he directed Vidya Balan and R. Madhavan.[2] He went on to make over 250 ad campaigns, including one popular one for Cadbury.[8][11]

In 2014, Vinil opened his own production company Breathless Films, which produces advertisements.[12] The company has launched campaigns for the brands Lays, Voot and Club Mahindra, among others.[13][14][15]

Films

In 2003, Vinil directed a television film for the channel Star One, called The Chosen One.[2]

While working on a coffee campaign for Nescafe, Vinil met Karan Johar, who produced his first feature film.[1] It was named Hasee Toh Phasee and was released in 2014. It starred Parineeti Chopra and Sidharth Malhotra and is about the romance between a struggling businessman and a drug-abusing scientist. Vinil said that his advertisement background helped him direct the movie.[16] David Chute of Variety summarised that "This debut feature by Vinil Mathew, a director of stylish TV commercials, is simply too well made and too enjoyable".[17] A review from India Today rated it with 3/5 stars, stating, "Hasee Toh Phasee is a refreshing, much-needed entry in the contemporary romcom genre".[18] The film performed moderately well commercially, earning ₹61.7 crore worldwide against a budget of ₹26 crore, becoming the eighth highest grossing Hindi film of 2014.[4][19]

Keen to work in a different genre, Vinil was attracted to Kanika Dhillon's script of Haseen Dillruba, a romantic thriller about a murder involving a married woman.[20] Starring Taapsee Pannu, the film was released on Netflix in 2021.[21] The film received mixed reviews from critics.[22] Ronak Kotecha of The Times of India gave it 3.5 stars out of 5 and called it "a delectably dark and defiant love story with a thrilling twist".[23] Stutee Ghosh of The Quint praised "Vinil Mathew ‘s directorial flourishes" and added that "the only way Haseen Dillruba truly works is if we unequivocally surrender to its pulpy universe".[24] It emerged as the most-watched Hindi film on Netflix in 2021, reaching top 10 in 22 different countries.[6][25]

Filmography

References
  1. "Karan Johar is my santa claus: Vinil Mathew". The Times of India. 3 February 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  2. "Young talent in ad filmmaking". The Economic Times. 21 May 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  3. "Karan Johar delighted with box-office success of 'Hasee Toh Phasee'". The Indian Express. 9 February 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  4. "Top Ten Worldwide Grossers 2014". Box Office India. 8 May 2014. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  5. Priyanka Srivastava (5 April 2014). "Success of Queen, Ankhon Dekhi proves change in audience's taste". India Today.
  6. "Taapsee Pannu's Haseen Dillruba beats Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi to become most-watched film on Netflix in 2021". Bollywood Hungama. 30 December 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  7. "As Delhi's St. Columba's turns 75, its alumni have much to celebrate". The Times of India. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  8. "Vinil Mathew: Smile-high club". Livemint. 1 February 2014.
  9. ""When I started working on Haseen Dillruba, I was a bit nervous," says filmmaker Vinil Mathew". India Weekly. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  10. "Meet Vinil Mathew, the Malayali director of Bollywood thriller Haseen Dilruba". Manorama. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  11. "Being an ad filmmaker gives you an edge: Hasee Toh Phasee director". Archived from the original on 4 February 2014.
  12. Bapna, Amit. "Why Thailand looks enticing to Indian ad-film makers". Economic Times. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  13. "Lay's launches a new campaign with Alia Bhatt and Siddhant Chaturvedi to promote its thinnest wafers". Business Insider. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  14. "Viacom 18's VOOT targets ADHD millennials with three lively campaigns". Indian Television. 18 May 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  15. "Club Mahindra decides to add freshness to its brand with a new marketing campaign". Economic Times. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  16. "My ad background came handy for 'Hasee Toh Phasee': Vinil Mathew". 3 February 2014.
  17. "Film Review: 'Hasee toh phasee'". Variety. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  18. "Movie review: Hasee Toh Phasee is complete entertainment : Reviews, News - India Today". Indiatoday.intoday.in. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  19. "Hasee Toh Phasee". Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  20. "Vinil Mathew and Taapsee Pannu on the universal appeal of thrillers, collaborating for Haseen Dillruba, and their OTT debut". Vogue. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  21. "Haseen Dillruba to release on Netflix on July 2. Taapsee Pannu announces with teaser". India Today. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  22. "HASEEN DILLRUBA (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  23. "Haseen Dillruba Review". The Times of India. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  24. "Haseen Dillruba' Review: Taapsee, Vikrant's Film Is Problematic Yet Engrossing". The Quint. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  25. "Taapsee Pannu reacts as Netflix co-CEO says Haseen Dillruba reached top 10 in 22 countries: 'From the horse's mouth'". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
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