Mit Jani

Mit Jani
Occupations
  • Film director
  • producer
Years active2014–present
Known forGoonga Pehelwan, Hellaro
AwardsNational Film Award for Best Debut Film of a Director (2015)

Mit Jani is an Indian film director and producer who works in Gujarati cinema. He co-directed the documentary Goonga Pehelwan (2014), which won the National Film Award for Best Debut Film of a Director at the 62nd National Film Awards., and was a co-producer of Hellaro (2019), the first Gujarati film to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film

Early life and education

Mit Jani graduated with a BCom (Hons) in accounting from the Amrut Mody School of Management at Ahmedabad University in 2010, and qualified as a chartered accountant in 2012 before entering filmmaking.

Career

Mit Jani co-directed Goonga Pehelwan with Prateek Gupta and Vivek Chaudhary, a documentary on the deaf wrestler Virender Singh Yadav. It highlighted the disparity in official recognition and financial support afforded to athletes with disabilities. The film's directors also campaigned for better conditions for deaf wrestlers. The Wrestling Federation of India later agreed to use visual signals for deaf competitors.; the Wrestling Federation of India subsequently agreed to provide referees using visual and tactile cues for deaf competitors.

Goonga Pehelwan won the Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) for Best Debut Film of a Director in the non-feature category at the 62nd National Film Awards, announced in March 2015. The directors attended the 46th International Film Festival of India in Panaji in November 2015, where the film was screened.

The Directors of the Non-Feature film – “Goonga Pehalwan”, Vivek Chaudhary, Prateek Gupta and Mit Jani at a press conference, at the 46th International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2015), in Panaji, Goa on November 21, 2015

He was a co-producer of Hellaro (2019), directed by Abhishek Shah. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film at the 66th National Film Awards, the first Gujarati film to do so, and its thirteen lead actresses jointly received a Special Jury Award.

He went on to produce Kamthaan (2024), adapted from a novel by the Gujarati writer Ashwini Bhatt and directed by Dhrunad, and Dhabkaaro (2026), written and directed by Shah and co-produced with Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014Goonga PehelwanDirectorDocumentary; co-directed with Prateek Gupta and Vivek Chaudhary
2019HellaroCo-producer
2024KamthaanProducer
2026DhabkaaroProducer

Awards

YearAwardCeremonyFilmResult
2015National Film Award for Best Debut Film of a Director (Non-Feature)62nd National Film AwardsGoonga PehelwanWon

References

  1. ↑ Ajay, Lakshmi (25 March 2015). "Goonga Pehelwan gets national award". The Indian Express.
  2. ↑ "FIR against makers of national award film 'Hellaro'". The Hindu. 13 November 2019.
  3. ↑ "Hellaro 1st Gujarati Film to Win Top National Award". The Times of India. 10 August 2019.
  4. 1 2 Ajay, Lakshmi (25 March 2015). "Ahmedabad filmmaker trio bag national film award for documentary on deaf-mute wrestler". The Indian Express. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
  5. 1 2 Maddali, Ramya (1 July 2014). "Silent Strength". The Caravan. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
  6. ↑ Ramakrishnan, Swetha (24 December 2013). "Mute War Cry". Indian Express.
  7. ↑ Dasgupta, Shougat (22 January 2014). "Virender Singh | Fighting to be heard". Live Mint.
  8. ↑ "National award to Goonga Pahelwan, film on deaf-mute wrestler". Counterview. March 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
  9. ↑ India, PIB (24 March 2015). "62nd National Film Awards, 2014 announced". Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
  10. ↑ "International Film Festival of India 2015: All you need to know about IFFI 2015". India News. 17 November 2015.
  11. ↑ "National award winning film 'Hellaro' co-produced by three chartered accountants". Counterview. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Gujarati film 'Kamthan' a stress busting cop-comedy". South Asia Times. December 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Jivan, Jag (31 August 2025). "Makers of national award winning film Hellaro announce new Gujarati project: Dhabkaaro". Counterview. Retrieved 12 August 2026.