Veerendra Prasad

Veerendra Prasad is a Lecturer II in the Department of Film, Television, and Media at the University of Michigan. He is affiliated with the Center for South Asian Studies (CSAS) as both a faculty member and staff curator of the South Asian Film Series. His academic and creative work bridges screenwriting, independent filmmaking, and cultural representation.

• Education:
  • MFA in Screenwriting, American Film Institute (2000)
  • B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan (1997)

Prasad’s research and practice focus on screenwriting, no-budget filmmaking techniques, and South Asian diasporic cinema. His produced film Ocean of Pearls (2008) explores cultural identity through the life of a Sikh transplant surgeon navigating East-West divides. He has also curated film series highlighting South India’s cinematic traditions and served as a programmer for the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.

Recent work includes an Institute of Humanities Summer Fellowship project titled Unscripted Films in Uncontrolled Environments, which experiments with improvisational storytelling and low-budget production methods. His 2023 curation of the South Asian Film Series at the Michigan Theater showcased films like Shoebox, examining urban transformation in India.

• Awards: Institute of Humanities Summer Fellowship (2020)

Prasad’s teaching and creative advising emphasize collaborative processes and adaptive filmmaking strategies. He actively engages with both academic and community audiences through film programming and interdisciplinary projects.