About

Known credits:
19
Birthday:
1961-05-06
Place of birth:
Jalandhar, Punjab, India
Website:

Tarsem Singh

Overview

Tarsem Singh Dhandwar, known professionally as Tarsem, is an Indian director who has worked on films, music videos, and commercials.

Tarsem was born in Jalandhar, Punjab to a Punjabi Sikh family. His father was an aircraft engineer. He is a graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Tarsem began his career directing music videos, including those of "Hold On" by En Vogue, "Sweet Lullaby" by Deep Forest and R.E.M.'s smash hit "Losing My Religion", the latter of which won Best Video of the Year at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards. He has directed dozens of commercials for brands such as Nike and Coca-Cola. Tarsem's feature film directorial debut was The Cell (2000), starring Jennifer Lopez.

In 2003, Tarsem directed one of the most elaborate Pepsi commercials to date. It combined a gladiator theme with Queen's "We Will Rock You". The commercial starred Enrique Iglesias in the version of the commercial aired in Europe and North America and Amr Diab in the version aired in the Arab world.

Tarsem's second film, The Fall, debuted at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival and was released theatrically in the United States in 2008. His third film was 2011's Immortals. He directed an adaptation of the Brothers Grimm story of "Snow White", called Mirror Mirror (2012).

Known for

Acting

2024 I Will Revenge This World With Love - S. Paradjanov Actor Himself N/A
N/A

Directing

2023 Dear Jassi Directing Director 58
Average
2020 911 Directing Director 59
Average
2020 Lady Gaga - 911 (Short Film) Directing Director 58
Average
2015 Self/less Directing Director 63
Fair
2012 Mirror Mirror Directing Director 58
Average
2011 Immortals Directing Director 59
Average
2008 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Directing Second Unit Director 75
Good
2008 The Fall Directing Director 71
Good
2003 R.E.M.: In View 1988-2003 (The Best of R.E.M.) Directing Director 58
Average
2000 The Cell Directing Director 61
Fair
1996 Nike: Good vs. Evil Directing Director N/A
N/A
1993 The King of Ads, Part 2 Directing Director 59
Average
The Journeyman Directing Director N/A
N/A
Nanda Devi Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing

2008 The Fall Writing Screenplay 71
Good

Production

2023 Dear Jassi Production Producer 58
Average
2017 Emerald City Production Executive Producer 66
Fair
2008 The Fall Production Producer 71
Good