About the filmmaker
Karan Paitka
Director, writer, producer, editor and performer, carrying the creative vision from its earliest shape through the final frame.
Karan is an emerging filmmaker whose work spans comedy, horror, experimental film and branded content. His action-comedy Last Call for the Cure, which he wrote, produced and starred in, was one of ten scripts selected for development through Paramount Hotel Dubai’s We Create Drama competition, with its co-lead later receiving a Best Actor award in India. His wider creative practice includes producing, editing, acting and commercial filmmaking, including a stylised Batman-inspired brand film in the UAE and a promotional film for a Melbourne-based Elvis tribute artist.
After relocating to Melbourne to undertake his graduation project, Karan assembled a key creative team within weeks and made his formal directorial debut with MAYA. His approach to filmmaking is grounded in resourcefulness, visual storytelling and precision. He places strong emphasis on clear communication, efficient collaboration and maintaining oversight of every moving part of production, while protecting the creative vision from its earliest stages of development through to the finished film.