India and her diaspora do still have a reason to rejoice, though Homebound, the official entry to the Oscars 2026, is out of the race in the Best International Feature Film category. Lagaan, a Bollywood blockbuster in 2002, was the last Indian film to make it to the Oscars nominations. However, amid the Hollywood titles – Sinners and One Battle After Another – running high with multiple nominations for the 98th Academy Awards, Indian American Geeta Gandbhir has grabbed some spotlight.
Who is documentary filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir in USA?
Geeta Gandbhir is an Indian American filmmaker, director, producer, and editor known for her compelling work in documentary cinema. She has built a distinguished career spanning nearly two decades, focusing on socially important subjects such as racial justice, violence, systemic inequities, and civil rights. She has won multiple awards and recognitions, including Emmys and Peabody Awards.
She was born in 1970 in Boston to Indian immigrant parents who moved to the United States in the 1960s. Her father, Sharad Gandbhir, emigrated to study chemical engineering, and her mother, Lalita, joined him later. Geeta and her siblings grew up in the Boston area. Her sister Una S. Gandbhir is a superior court judge in Alaska, and her brother Ashwin Gandbhir is a filmmaker and editor too.
Why filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir is in the news
Geeta Gandbhir just created history by earning two Oscar nominations at the 98th Academy Awards (2026) for her work in documentary cinema. “The Perfect Neighbor” and “The Devil is Busy” from her repertoire are riding the waves of Oscar nods for Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short Film respectively. This rare achievement has placed her among an elite group of filmmakers whose storytelling is sharper than two-edged swords and has a mass appeal.
Geeta Gandbhir’s The Perfect Neighbor is a full-length documentary feature that explores the June 2023 fatal shooting of Ajike “AJ” Owens in Ocala, Florida. Directed and produced by Gandbhir, the documentary has earned critical acclaims for its ethical storytelling and careful examination of accountability. Close to her heart professionally and personally, The Perfect Neighbor won the US Documentary Directing Award after it was premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. It streams on Netflix.
The other Oscar nomination that Geeta Gandbhir has earned is for The Devil Is Busy that she co-directed with Christalyn Hampton. It is a 31-minute short documentary on the safety of patients and healthcare staff amid continuous protests against abortion restrictions in America. It portrays Tracii, the head of security at a women’s healthcare clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, and shows how she sincerely protects patients and other staff over the course of a day.
Is Geeta Gandbhir the first Indian American to earn Oscar nominations?
No, Geeta Gandbhir is not the first Indian American to receive an Oscar nomination. That distinction goes to M. Night Shyamalan, a renowned Indian-origin American filmmaker with roots in South India. His directorial, The Sixth Sense, had earned two Oscar nominations in 2000, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Later, two Indian American engineers – Parag Havaldar and Kiran Bhat – emerged among the Oscar winners in 2017.
Geeta Gandbhir’s Education and Early Influences
Geeta’s academic journey began at Harvard University, where she studied visual art with a focus on animation. It was here that she encountered influential mentors who shaped her future career. During her time at Harvard, Spike Lee, the acclaimed filmmaker, taught at the university, and Geeta worked closely with his long-time editor Sam Pollard. These early mentorships exposed her to strong narrative filmmaking principles and encouraged her initial work in narrative projects before she transitioned fully into documentaries.
Hearty Congratulations to Geeta Gandbhir…Name seems to be from Maharashtra, India.
Her subjects of documentary depict social issues as seen from the titles of documentary. Proud of her. Thank you for sharing news.