Tom George Kolath

Tom George Kolath, son of Dr. K. M. George and Chinnamma George, was raised along with his siblings Mary, Mathai, Abraham, Anna, and Elizabeth, in a loving, traditional family in Palghat, a small town in Kerala, one of the southern states of India. While still a child, George was fascinated by the world of movies. As he grew older, the fascination only deepened and turned into a serious pursuit.

But a traditional Indian family, which is known not only for its warmth and security but also for its tough love, lays stress on education. George's parents insisted he first gets a world-class education before pursuing other choices. And so, George gathered a string of degrees, which include an undergraduate program in India. He also became an active member of the National Society of Public Accountants and set up a business in New York City practicing Income Tax.

Expanding the business further, he opened four plush offices in the City of New York and Long Island. With solid financial backing in place, he was ready to launch his movie career. After having lived in the U.S. for over 10 years, George decided to get in touch with his roots once more and moved to India in 2001. There he took every opportunity to learn more about the technical aspects of filmmaking.

He went to act in a string of movies, T.V. serials and produced many of them too. Making of Akale (2004), an adaptation of Tennessee William's "Glass Menagerie", was a learning experience for him. It hit home the fact that a great movie may never hit box office bonanza, but the praise and the recognition accorded it provides the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

Perseverance and kinship with the community of new and budding movie makers inspired George to stay the course and further polish his skill. Not surprisingly, he acquired a diploma in Filmmaking from Hollywood Film Institute in March 2005. His most recent work is a short film named Lessons which sends the social message of condemning child abuse and the psychological impact thereof on a child's mind.

He is a busy man these days, shuttling frequently between New York and Kerala, to launch his latest directorial venture titled Gandhi Park. The movie will star a mix of cast from Hollywood and the Indian movie industry nicknamed Bollywood. Gandhi Park is a contemporary, cross-cultural romantic comedy.