Bio and Curriculum Vitae
Navin Thapar | Producer & Director
+44 (0) 7961 331 527 | [email protected] | 4 Worple Way, Harrow, Middlesex, HA2 9SP |
www.pbshowfolio.com/navinthapar
About Me
As a Producer-Director/Series Director I have many years of experience working on high-end factual entertainment
documentaries for some of the leading UK and International broadcasters including BBC, ITV, CH4, CH5, Nat
Geo, PBS, American Food Network and Discovery International. I have a proven track record; coupled with
awards from BAFTA, RTS and CRE - BBC/Channel Four. This includes directing popular factual entertainment
programmes in arts, music, adventure, food/travelogue documentaries, history, reality/observational documentaries,
magazine and life style programmes. I have also produced and directed several short form drama films.
Awards and Recognition
BREATH OF LIFE (Short Film)
Producer & Director
Nominated Best Short film BAFTA
WHAT’S THE POINT?
(BBC Corporate Drama)
Director
Awarded Best Corporate Film 1996 RTS (Royal
Television Society)
CARNIVAL 96’
(BBC | Channel 4)
Director
Nominated Best Entertainment Programme 1996 by
CRE (Commission for Race Equality) Race in the
Media Awards
CHANNEL EAST
Head of Programming
Producer & Director
Best New Asian Channel 2001 by BT EMMA
(Ethnic Multicultural Media Awards presented by
the BBC)
MADE IN TAIWAN
Director
Best Cinematography - Asian Television Awards |
Australian Cinematographers Awards
Director / Producer in Fiction Drama
BREATH OF LIFE
INvision Media Ltd
30mins | 16mm | BAFTA Nominated Short Film
about Iranian political prisoners of consciousness
TOOTING LIONS
INvision Media Ltd
30mins | 35mm |Short Film about Bounty Hunters
A GIFT OF SARAH
INvision Media Ltd
30mins |16mm | Magical film about a guitar teacher
and his last pupil
TERMINAL EYES
INvision Media Ltd
40mins | 16mm | Short Film about an interracial
marriage
BE BLESSED
INvision Media Ltd
25min |RED MX | Coming of Age Road Trip Film
COMPANY OF WOLFS
INvision Media Ltd.
15mins | 35mm | Human Trafficking
DISSOCIATION
INvision Media Ltd.
25mins |16mm | Drama about multi-personality
issues
Producer in Fiction Drama
Employment History
Producer & Director | Series Director in factual Entertainment
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THE SOUTH BANK SHOW
Sky Arts
‘PLANET FOOD SERIES
SPECIAL’
THE STORY OF TEA
THE STORY OF COFFEE
THE STORY OF
CHOCOLATE
THE STORY OF CHESSE
THE STORY OF BEER
THE STORY OF SPICES
THE STORY OF BEEF
THE STORY OF SUGAR
Discovery/Travel
8 x 60mins | Series PD | Food and History. Shot in
Channel/PBS/American France, UK, US, India, Indonesia, Spain, Italy,
Food Network
Switzerland, Portugal ands many more countries
worldwide
THE GRAND CANAL OF
CHINA
National geographical
Channel
TOUGH TRAINS – INDIA’S
Discovery/Travel
INDEPENDENCE RAILWAYS Channel/PBS
10 x 30mins | Series PD | Contemporary Arts
Series presented by Melvyn Bragg. Profiles on
visual artists such as David Hockney, Damien
Hirst, Gilbert and George and Anil Kapoor. Zaha
Hadid and J.M.W Turner
60mins | PD | A photographers journey on the
oldest, biggest transport system in the world
60mins | PD –|Adventure/ History Travelogue
Documentary on the role of the railways in India’s
independence
‘PLANET FOOD SERIES’
FISH AND SHELLFISH
Discovery/Travel
2 x 60mins | Food and history | Shot in India, US,
Channel/PBS/American Caribbean Islands, Europe, India and throughout
Food Network
the world
‘CHARADES’ COMMERCIAL
TV/Cinema
EXTREME HOMES
Pioneer Productions for 11 x 30mins contemporary architectural series
HGTV
looking at the work of well established architects
throughout the world |Directed shows in Italy,
Germany | East Coast US and Nova Scotia, Canada
36 WAYS TO LIVE:
EMMANUEL STROOBANT
Asian Food Channel
13 part fine dining series | 12x30mins + 1hr Xmas
Special
BIZAAR LONDON
Discovery Channel
2 x 30min specials on History, Art and Design
HOUSE HUNTERS
INTERNATIONAL CANNES
Leopard Films USA
Popular Travelogue/Property show
TREKS IN THE WILD:
CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
National geographic |
Pilot Productions
Discovery Channel
Travelogue and Adventure Show
HUNGARY SAILORS
ITV1
4 x 60mins | Food and Travelogue
GLOBE TREKKER SPECIAL:
CRETE
Pilot Productions
Discovery Channel
60mins | History of Crete Island during WW2
TREKS IN THE WILD:
GUYANA
National Geographic |
Discovery Channel
Travelogue and Adventure Show
PLANET FOOD:
‘CHINA - GUANGDONG’ and
‘GREEK ISLANDS’
Discovery/Travel
/PBS/American Food
Network
2 x 60mins | Food and Travelogue
60” commercial for the ‘State Bank of India’
|Presently being aired on TV and in Cinemas
throughout the UK
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CAFÉ ASIA:
‘BALI’ ‘JAIPUR’ and
‘AMRITSAR’
Discovery Asia
3 x 30mins | Food and Travelogue
METROPOLIS: ‘BALI’ and
‘LONDON’
Discovery Channel
2 x 30mins | World Architecture Series
CHINATOWNS AROUND
Pilot Productions
THE WORLD and
Discovery Channel
AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 1861
- 1865
2 x 60mins | History Specials for Globe Trekker
Series
MADE IN TAIWAN
Discovery Asia
3 x 60mins | Cultural heritage of Taiwan
BUILDING THE DREAM
Zeal Television / ITV1
65 x 30mins property reality game show
GLOBE TREKKER FLORIDA
AND BAHAMAS
Pilot Productions
Discovery Channel
60mins | Travelogue Documentary
GLOBE TREKKER
TUSCANY
Pilot Productions
American Food Ntwrk
Discovery
60mins | Food & Travelogue
BAZAAR FLORENCE
BAZAAR MIAMI
Pilot Productions
2 x 30mins | Travel & Lifestyle
PLANET FOOD CARIBBEAN
Pilot Productions
American Food Ntwrk
Discovery
60mins | Food & Travelogue
HOT PROPERTY
Channel 5
6 x 30mins | Property Game Show with Alice Beer
FROM HOUSE TO HOME
RDF
Channel 4
7 x 30mins | Interior Design Show with Sarah
Beeney
LOCATION, LOCATION,
LOCATION
Ideal World Prod.
Channel 4
UK Property Market Show
HOME FRONT IN THE
GARDEN
BBC Leisure and
Factual Ent. Group
Contemporary Garden Design Show
MYSTERIES WITH CAROL
VORDERMAN
BBC
6 x 30mins | Reconstruction Drama about
supernatural & unexplained
MADHUR JEFFREY’S:
FLAVOURS OF INDIA
BBC (Pebble Mill)
6 x 30mins | Cuisine and Travelogue Series in India
CARNIVAL ’95 and ‘96
BBC (Pebble Mill)
60mins | Specials capturing Nottinghill Carnival in
London – The World’s largest Street party
HIGHLAND BOLLYWOOD
Maverick Television
Channel 4
60mins | Black Bag Series | Documentary about
Bollywood in Scotland
WHAT’S THE POINT
BBC (Pebble Mill)
Corporate Video
NETWORK EAST
BBC (Pebble Mill)
10 x 30mins | Asian Arts Magazine Show
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