Archive · 8 Aug 2026
How Raja Krishna Menon Crafts Real-Life Stories Into Cinema
Raja Krishna Menon is a movie maker from India who loves telling true stories.
Before making movies, he worked in advertising and made more than 300 commercials.
His first movie was called Bas Yun Hi, made in 2002.
In 2009, his movie Barah Aana made people notice his talent at film festivals.
His big hit Airlift came in 2016 and told a real story about a big emergency.
He made Chef in 2017, a movie about family.
In 2023, he made Pippa about a soldier's journey during a war between India and Pakistan in 1971.
Menon likes to mix real history with feelings people can understand.
He is also planning a movie about a famous boxer named Dingko Singh.
Raja Krishna Menon began his film career in advertising, directing more than 300 commercials and television spots.
His independent directorial debut, Bas Yun Hi (2002), starred Nandita Das and Purab Kohli.
His breakout film Barah Aana (2009) earned critical acclaim on the international film festival circuit.
Airlift (2016), his breakthrough film, turned a real geopolitical crisis into an emotional story of ordinary courage, and Pippa (2023) retells Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta's journey during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
According to media reports, his next project is a sports biopic on boxer Dingko Singh with Shahid Kapoor.
- Who
- Indian filmmaker, writer, and director Raja Krishna Menon.
- What
- His journey and craft of turning real-life events into films with authenticity, from independent movies to large-scale narratives.
- When
- From his 2002 independent debut, Bas Yun Hi, through his 2023 film, Pippa.
- Where
- India, within Hindi cinema and the international film festival circuit.
- Why
- To bridge thought-provoking independent cinema and mainstream entertainment using research-backed, emotionally grounded stories.
- Profession
- Filmmaker, writer, and director
- Background
- Directed more than 300 commercials and television spots in advertising
- Directorial debut
- Bas Yun Hi (2002), starring Nandita Das and Purab Kohli
- Breakout film
- Barah Aana (2009)
- Breakthrough film
- Airlift (2016)
- Later works
- Chef (2017) and Pippa (2023), starring Ishaan Khatter
- Upcoming project
- Sports biopic on boxer Dingko Singh with Shahid Kapoor (per media reports)
- Known for
- Real-life, research-backed narratives balancing realism with cinematic scale