Tarsem Singh
Tarsem Singh Dhandwar, known professionally as Tarsem, is an Indian film director, music video creator, and commercial filmmaker celebrated for his visually elaborate and artistically intricate style.[1][2] Born on May 26, 1961, in Jalandhar, Punjab, to a Punjabi Sikh family, he is the son of an aircraft engineer and grew up in India before pursuing higher education abroad.[3][4] His career spans high-profile music videos, such as R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" (1991), which won Best Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards, and En Vogue's "Hold On" (1990), alongside commercials that earned him widespread acclaim for innovative storytelling and art direction.[5][6] Tarsem's early education took place at Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, India, followed by studies at Hans Raj College in Delhi.[4] He later moved to the United States, where he graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, honing his skills in visual arts and film.[7][8] After establishing himself in the 1980s and 1990s through music videos for artists like Deep Forest ("Sweet Lullaby," 1993) and Lady Gaga ("911," 2020), as well as commercials noted for their stunning production design, he transitioned to feature films.[5][9] His directorial debut came with the psychological thriller The Cell (2000), starring Jennifer Lopez, which showcased his signature opulent visuals inspired by painters like Gustav Klimt and filmmakers such as Sergei Parajanov.[1] Subsequent films include the fantasy epic The Fall (2006), a self-financed project filmed in over 20 countries; the mythological action film Immortals (2011); the live-action adaptation Mirror Mirror (2012) with Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen; the sci-fi thriller Self/less (2015) featuring Ben Kingsley; the romantic drama Dear Jassi (2023), based on a real-life honor killing story; and the upcoming crime thriller The Journeyman (TBA), starring Dev Patel.[9][3][10] Tarsem also directed episodes of the fantasy series Emerald City (2017), further demonstrating his versatility in blending narrative depth with breathtaking cinematography.[9]Early life and education
Family and childhood
Tarsem Singh was born on May 26, 1961, in Jalandhar, Punjab, India, to a Punjabi Sikh family.[11][4] His father worked as an aircraft engineer in Iran, where Singh spent three months each year during his childhood, while attending boarding school in Shimla for the rest of the year.[12][13][14] This international exposure and Himalayan boarding school environment shaped his early years before transitioning to formal schooling in Shimla.[12]Schooling and higher education
Tarsem Singh attended Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, India, for his secondary education, where he developed an early interest in visual storytelling amid the Himalayan boarding school environment.[15] Following this, he pursued higher education in India at Hans Raj College in Delhi, earning a B.Com degree in commerce, though his passion increasingly leaned toward creative fields.[16][17] At age 24, Singh relocated to the United States with family support for international studies, initially planning to enroll in business at Harvard University but instead opting for film at Los Angeles City College to align with his artistic aspirations.[7][18] He subsequently transferred to the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, where he majored in film and honed skills in directing and cinematography through intensive coursework focused on visual narrative and production techniques.[7] A pivotal project during his studies at ArtCenter was directing the 1990 music video for Suzanne Vega's "Tired of Sleeping," which allowed him to experiment with dramatic cinematography inspired by photographers like Josef Koudelka and solidified his approach to visual storytelling.[7] Singh graduated from ArtCenter with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film in 1990, marking the completion of his formal education and positioning him to transition into professional creative work.[7]Professional career
Music videos and commercials
Tarsem Singh transitioned to the United States in the early 1980s from his native India to pursue higher education, graduating from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, with a focus on film and visual arts. Upon entering the professional sphere in the late 1980s, he quickly established himself as a director of music videos and commercials, working initially through U.S. ad agencies like those associated with RadicalMedia. His early projects emphasized bold, cinematic visuals achieved through resourceful production techniques, such as leveraging international locations to maximize impact on modest budgets.[7][19] Singh's music video career began in 1990 with En Vogue's "Hold On," followed by Suzanne Vega's "Tired of Sleeping" that same year, both showcasing his emerging style of narrative-driven imagery with symbolic depth. The pivotal breakthrough arrived with R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" in 1991, shot over five days in India using grand architectural sites like the Victoria Memorial to evoke Renaissance paintings by artists such as Caravaggio and Bosch, all on a limited budget that belied its opulent appearance. This video earned six MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year, Best Direction, and Best Editing, along with a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video in 1992, solidifying his reputation for innovative, low-cost visual storytelling. Other key early 1990s works included The Dream Academy's "Love" (1991), Vanessa Paradis' "Be My Baby" (1992), and Deep Forest's "Sweet Lullaby" (1993), each highlighting his penchant for exotic locales and metaphorical compositions.[20][21][5] Concurrently, Singh directed commercials for prominent brands, beginning with a Levi's spot inspired by the film "The Swimmer," which won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 1992 and demonstrated his ability to blend adventure and product placement seamlessly. He built a substantial portfolio with ads for Nike, Pepsi (including the "We Will Rock You" campaign featuring Britney Spears), Levi's, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Guinness, often employing surreal, painterly aesthetics to create memorable narratives within 30-second constraints. These projects, produced on tight schedules and budgets, honed his expertise in visual economy and earned industry accolades, contributing to over 50 documented music videos and commercials across the 1990s. The acclaim from these short-form works, particularly the R.E.M. video's global success, attracted attention from Hollywood producers and paved the way for his feature film directorial debut with The Cell in 2000. Elements of his distinctive visual style, such as lavish period-inspired imagery, carried forward into his cinematic endeavors.[18][7][22]Television directing
Tarsem Singh's television directing debut came with the 2017 NBC fantasy series Emerald City, where he helmed all ten episodes of the first season.[23] The series reimagined L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a gritty, adult-oriented drama set in a dystopian Kansas and the magical land of Oz, allowing Singh to infuse the production with his hallmark opulent visuals and symbolic imagery.[24] Singh adapted his elaborate cinematic style to the episodic format's demands, navigating tighter budgets and weekly production schedules by prioritizing practical sets and strategic visual effects to evoke a painterly, otherworldly atmosphere despite the constraints.[25] This extensive television commitment bridged Singh's background in music videos and commercials—where he honed his stylistic experimentation—with his feature film career, enabling deeper narrative exploration through serialization while collaborating with NBC on a high-profile genre project.[25]Feature films
Artistic style and influences
Visual techniques
Tarsem Singh's visual techniques emphasize authentic location shooting to evoke grandeur and immersion, often eschewing heavy reliance on green screen in favor of real-world environments. In The Fall (2006), he captured footage across more than 20 countries, including sites like the Taj Mahal in India, Deadvlei in Namibia, and the Villa Adriana in Italy, which infused the film with a tangible, epic scale derived from diverse natural landscapes.[38] This approach extended to practical effects, such as staging a swimming elephant sequence with live animals in real water settings rather than CGI, highlighting Singh's preference for physical authenticity to enhance visual impact.[39] Singh collaborates closely with cinematographer Brendan Galvin to craft painterly compositions that draw from art historical influences, achieving balanced, luminous frames with a classical depth. Their partnership, evident in films like Immortals (2011) and Mirror Mirror (2012), produces richly textured visuals where lighting and framing mimic Renaissance-era canvases, blending symmetry and natural light for a timeless aesthetic.[40] [41] Practical effects and elaborate sets form the backbone of Singh's surreal and fantastical sequences, prioritizing tangible construction over digital fabrication. In The Cell (2000), he utilized intricate physical dioramas and custom-built environments to realize the protagonist's hellish mindscapes, creating perverse, immersive dream worlds through detailed production design.[40] Similarly, Mirror Mirror (2012) featured opulent, handcrafted sets and costumes that amplified its fairy-tale aesthetics, with oversized architectural elements and whimsical props contributing to a cohesive, enchanted visual realm.[42] In post-production, Singh employs color grading to cultivate dreamlike or mythic tones, enhancing the emotional resonance of his imagery without overpowering the practical foundations. The Fall, for example, uses a highly saturated, warm palette to heighten its fantastical quality, transforming real locations into otherworldly vistas.[43] Budgetary scales have shaped this process, as the low-budget The Fall—self-financed initially and shot guerrilla-style—leaned on unadorned natural beauty, whereas the $75 million production of Immortals enabled expansive practical builds alongside selective VFX to amplify mythological spectacle.[40] [44] From his 2000 debut The Cell to Dear Jassi (2023), Singh's techniques have evolved toward greater efficiency in location scouting and set fabrication, while incorporating digital tools sparingly to preserve the primacy of physical elements and on-site authenticity. These methods, informed briefly by art historical inspirations, underscore his commitment to visuals that feel handcrafted and evocative.[40]Key inspirations
Tarsem Singh's filmmaking draws heavily from his collaborations with costume and production designer Eiko Ishioka, whose bold, surreal aesthetics influenced the elaborate set and costume designs in films such as The Cell (2000), The Fall (2006), and Immortals (2011). Ishioka's work, known for its fusion of traditional Japanese motifs with avant-garde elements, shaped Singh's approach to visual storytelling, emphasizing exaggerated forms and cultural symbolism to evoke dreamlike worlds.[45] Singh's Indian heritage profoundly impacts his thematic choices, rooted in his birth in Jalandhar, Punjab, and early childhood in Shimla, where family traditions and local folklore fostered a fascination with epic narratives. This background, combined with extensive global travels—including scouting locations across 24 countries for The Fall over 19 years—allows him to blend Eastern mythological elements, such as motifs from Indian epics, with Western fairy tale structures, as evident in the multicultural fantasy realms of Immortals and the childlike adventure tale in The Fall.[46][18][47] Personal motivations drive Singh's exploration of cultural conflicts, particularly in Dear Jassi (2023), inspired by the real-life honor killing of Indo-Canadian Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu in 2000, which highlighted themes of familial honor, forbidden love, and immigrant identity struggles within Punjabi communities. The film reflects Singh's intent to address such tragedies through intimate, character-driven drama, drawing from the incident's details of Sidhu's secret marriage and subsequent murder by relatives.[48][49] Cinematically, Singh cites Akira Kurosawa as a key influence for his epic storytelling style, admiring the director's ability to weave moral complexity and visual grandeur in samurai tales, which informs Singh's own ambitious, location-spanning narratives. In interviews, he has expressed interest in adapting projects like Samurai Jack to channel Kurosawa's blend of action and philosophy.[50][51] In 2024 discussions surrounding the 4K re-release of The Fall, Singh reiterated enduring inspirations from his Shimla childhood, where exposure to illustrated fairy tales and oral stories sparked the film's core concept of a hospitalized stuntman weaving an imaginative yarn for a young girl, echoing the wonder of youthful escapism. These reflections underscore how early fairy tale encounters continue to fuel his commitment to visually poetic, story-within-a-story frameworks.[52][53]Filmography
Feature films
- The Cell (2000, thriller): Released on August 18, 2000, with a runtime of 107 minutes, this science fiction psychological horror film stars Jennifer Lopez as Catherine Deane, alongside Vince Vaughn and Colton James.[26] It was produced by New Line Cinema.[27]
- The Fall (2006, fantasy): Premiering in 2006 and receiving a wide U.S. release on May 30, 2008, the film runs 117 minutes and features Lee Pace, Catinca Untaru, and Justine Waddell in an adventure fantasy story.[28] Tarsem Singh co-wrote the screenplay; it was produced by Googly Films.[29] A 4K restored version became available for streaming on Mubi in July 2024.[30]
- Immortals (2011, action): The film was released on November 11, 2011, with a runtime of 110 minutes, starring Henry Cavill as Theseus, Mickey Rourke, Stephen Dorff, and Freida Pinto.[31] It was produced by Relativity Media.[32]
- Mirror Mirror (2012, fantasy): Released on March 30, 2012, this 106-minute fantasy comedy stars Lily Collins as Snow White, Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen, and Armie Hammer as Prince Alcott.[33] Production was handled by Relativity Media.[34]
- Self/less (2015, sci-fi): The 117-minute science fiction thriller premiered on July 10, 2015, featuring Ryan Reynolds, Ben Kingsley, Natalie Martinez, and Matthew Goode.[35] It was presented by Focus Features and produced by Endgame Entertainment.[36]
- Dear Jassi (2023, drama): World premiered on September 11, 2023, at the Toronto International Film Festival, the 132-minute film stars Pavia Sidhu, Yugam Sood, and Gourav Sharma.[37] Production involved T-Series and Wakaoo Films.
Television episodes
Tarsem Singh's television directing credits include early 2000s anthology and drama series as well as the 2017 fantasy series Emerald City, for which he directed all 10 episodes.[9]| Year | Series | Episode Title | Season/Episode | Air Date | Network | Runtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Twilight Zone | "The Pool" | S1E5 | October 11, 2002 | UPN | 42 minutes |
| 2002 | The Twilight Zone | "Upgrade" | S1E9 | November 15, 2002 | UPN | 42 minutes |
| 2003 | Carnivàle | "Milfay" | S1E1 | September 14, 2003 | HBO | 60 minutes |
| 2017 | Emerald City | The Beast Forever (S1E1) | S1E1 | January 6, 2017 | NBC | 43 minutes |
| 2017 | Emerald City | Prison of the Abject (S1E2) | S1E2 | January 6, 2017 | NBC | 43 minutes |
| 2017 | Emerald City | Mistress–Monster (S1E3) | S1E3 | January 13, 2017 | NBC | 43 minutes |
| 2017 | Emerald City | A Matter of Honor (S1E4) | S1E4 | January 20, 2017 | NBC | 43 minutes |
| 2017 | Emerald City | Everybody Loves a Good Forecast (S1E5) | S1E5 | January 27, 2017 | NBC | 43 minutes |
| 2017 | Emerald City | Beautiful Wickedness (S1E6) | S1E6 | February 3, 2017 | NBC | 43 minutes |
| 2017 | Emerald City | They Came First (S1E7) | S1E7 | February 10, 2017 | NBC | 43 minutes |
| 2017 | Emerald City | No Place Like Home (S1E8) | S1E8 | February 17, 2017 | NBC | 43 minutes |
| 2017 | Emerald City | The Villain That's Become (S1E9) | S1E9 | February 24, 2017 | NBC | 43 minutes |
| 2017 | Emerald City | No More Oz (S1E10) | S1E10 | March 3, 2017 | NBC | 43 minutes |
Music videos
Tarsem Singh began his directing career in the late 1980s and 1990s with a focus on music videos, creating visually striking works known for their artistic influences and innovative storytelling. His portfolio includes collaborations with diverse artists, emphasizing surreal and painterly aesthetics inspired by classical art. One of his most acclaimed efforts is the 1991 video for R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion," which won six MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year and Best Direction in a Video.[20] The following table lists selected music videos directed by Singh, organized chronologically, with details on artist, song title, release year, and any notable awards.| Year | Artist | Song Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | En Vogue | "Hold On" | No major awards noted. |
| 1990 | Suzanne Vega | "Tired of Sleeping" | No major awards noted. |
| 1991 | The Dream Academy | "Love" | No major awards noted. |
| 1991 | Dream Warriors | "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style" | No major awards noted. |
| 1991 | R.E.M. | "Losing My Religion" | Won 6 MTV VMAs, including Video of the Year and Best Direction.[20] |
| 1992 | Vanessa Paradis | "Be My Baby" | No major awards noted. |
| 1992 | Lou Reed | "What's Good (The Thesis)" | No major awards noted. |
| 1993 | Deep Forest | "Sweet Lullaby" | Nominated for MTV VMA Best Direction.[54] |
| 2020 | Lady Gaga | "911" | No major awards noted; visuals reminiscent of Singh's film The Cell.[55] |
Commercials
Tarsem Singh began his directing career in the early 1990s with a series of visually striking commercials that established his reputation for elaborate production design and cinematic storytelling in advertising. Over the course of three decades, he has directed numerous high-profile campaigns for global brands, often incorporating fantastical elements and location shooting to elevate product promotion into art-like experiences. His commercial work totals dozens of spots, with many earning accolades at international advertising awards.[19] In the 1990s, Singh's early commercials frequently featured apparel and automotive brands, blending narrative depth with brand messaging. Notable examples include the Levi's 501 "Swimmer" (1992), a poetic homage to the 1968 film of the same name, depicting a man swimming through suburban pools in durable jeans, set to Dinah Washington's "Mad About the Boy." This TV spot, produced by RadicalMedia, highlighted the jeans' longevity through surreal, evocative imagery.[56] Similarly, for Nike, Singh co-directed the "Good vs Evil" (1996) television commercial, featuring soccer stars like Éric Cantona and Ian Wright in a dramatic eclipse-lit showdown between good and evil forces, symbolizing athletic rivalry and triumph.[57] Automotive work from this era included Mercedes-Benz's "Trick" (1997), a print and TV campaign using optical illusions to showcase the car's engineering precision.[58] Entering the 2000s, Singh's commercials expanded to beverages and luxury goods, often tying into celebrity endorsements. A standout was Pepsi's "We Will Rock You" (2004), a high-energy TV spot uniting Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Pink, and Enrique Iglesias in a gladiatorial arena performance of Queen's hit, promoting the brand's "Dare for More" campaign with explosive choreography and Roman Colosseum sets filmed in Rome.[59] He continued with automotive brands, directing Mercedes-Benz's "Lullaby" (2009) for the E-Class, a serene TV commercial portraying the vehicle as a soothing companion on a nighttime drive, emphasizing comfort and safety features through dreamlike sequences.[60] In recent years, Singh has focused on tech and automotive sectors, maintaining his opulent aesthetic. For Mercedes-Benz, he directed "Dream Days 'Many Forms'" (2025), a TV and digital campaign exploring the S-Class's versatility through multifaceted, illusory transformations in exotic locations.[61] Other contemporary works include Toyota's "Tacoma Dareful Handle" (circa 2020s), highlighting the truck's off-road capabilities in adventurous narratives, and CrowdStrike's "Trojan Horse" (2023) Super Bowl ad, a visually epic tale of cybersecurity defense set in the Moroccan desert with drone-enhanced effects.[2][56] These campaigns underscore Singh's enduring influence in commercials, bridging his feature film sensibilities with targeted brand storytelling across TV, print, and digital media.| Brand | Notable Campaign | Year | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levi's | "Swimmer" | 1992 | TV |
| Nike | "Good vs Evil" | 1996 | TV |
| Mercedes-Benz | "Trick" | 1997 | TV/Print |
| Pepsi | "We Will Rock You" | 2004 | TV |
| Mercedes-Benz | "Lullaby" | 2009 | TV |
| Toyota | "Tacoma Dareful Handle" | 2020s | TV/Digital |
| CrowdStrike | "Trojan Horse" | 2023 | TV (Super Bowl) |
| Mercedes-Benz | "Dream Days 'Many Forms'" | 2025 | TV/Digital |