Deep Focus – Film Quarterly was born from the passion of Bangalore Film Society members, guided by an advisory panel of eminent Indian filmmakers such as Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Girish Kasaravalli, Govind Nihalani and the late film archivist P.K. Nair.
Rooted in CIEDS’ ethos of exploring politics, art, and culture, the journal, led by editor George Kutty A.L., carved a niche for readers seeking thoughtful, artistic engagement with cinema beyond entertainment.
Like the proverbial cat with nine lives, Deep Focus too enjoyed a charmed existence over two decades, from the 1980s to the early 2000s, before it went into hibernation. In late 2012, it was reborn as Deep Focus Cinema when Sanjay R Wadhwa let go of the corporate script to write his own story—stepping in as Publisher and breathing fresh energy and heart back into the journal. The revival issue was formally launched at the 17th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) in Trivandrum.
Sanjay led creative collaborations, forging partnerships with some of India’s most respected film festivals and cultural events, including the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF), and Kochi-Muziris Biennale, to name a few. He also steered new content development by bringing in aspiring writers, overseeing the journal’s design and production, managing subscriptions, distribution, and advertising revenues, ably supported by the team.
By 2015, after an adventurous journey that saw the publication of eight issues, Sanjay chose to move forward, embracing new directions in life.