Dipika Kalra

Dipika Kalka is an Indian film editor. Her first movie in Bollywood film industry in the year 2010 was Udaan which received a lot of critical acclamation. Born and brought up in Delhi, it was her father who encouraged her to opt a creative field rather than getting hitched in a 9 to 5 job. However, the final decision was left to her. Convinced of the fact she joined Mass Communication in Delhi University.

After that, she acceded to a production house where she did all that she learned during mass communication starting from writing to editing to voice over, but it was editing which captured her heart. And so she joined FTII (Film & Television Institute of India) where she experienced a new dimension to movies. During her course, she worked on the diploma film "When the Man Dies" which won the National award. Completing the course, she associated her senior from FTII, Mr. Shan Mohammad in movies like Wake up Sid & Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa. The film led her to meet Anurag Basu Anurag Basu is a jack of all trade Indian film/tel >> Read More... who informed her about their new project they were about to start and their search for a new editor.

She then met the man behind Udaan, Mr. Vikramaditya. She showed her diploma movie "When the man dies "to him. Both liked each other's work, and so that is how Udaan happened. After that, she edited movies like My Friend Pinto (2011), Lootera (2013), Roy (2015), Kaun Kitne Pani Mein (2015), Fear (2015), Doobare Phir Se (2016), short movies like Khauf (2015) and Just Friends (2013). It was Lootera for which she got nominated for Zee Cine Awards, 2014 although she didn't win it was enough to put some limelight on her.

Dipika believes that the essential qualities to be good editor are Objective- Not to forget with what purpose the movie is made, Patience- To come out with finesse work, one needs to patience and Brutal- It is not supposed to be your way, you have to be brutal to cut where it needs. For her, every new film is a new experience, and every director has different taste. Being an editor, the purpose is to do the work, and hence there is no room of saying not working. Also, it is not your choice but the Director's point of view which should be in mind while editing. Few of her favorite editors are Renu Saloja (Masoom, Jaane Bhi do Yaaro, Parinde), Sally Menke 9Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, Resevour Dogs), Water Murch (English Patient), and Thelma Schoomaker (Woodstock, The Aviator, and the Departed).