Mandrika Rupa

Mandrika Rupa is an Indian- New Zealand filmmaker and community worker. She is a member of The Kshetra Collective, a diverse group of artists in New Zealand of Indian heritage.

Biography
Rupa was born in Gujarat, India and moved to New Zealand in 1960. Rupa's grandfather, Jaga Rupa, emigrated to New Zealand in 1907 just after immigration restrictions targeted at Chinese and Indians were lifted. Jaga Rupa settled in the Waikato and became a hawker. Rupa has six siblings who were all born in New Zealand and one born in India. In 1981 Rupa's daughter Mandy Rupa-Reid was born.

Between 1986 and1988 Rupa gained a qualification in social work.

In 1993 Rupa founded Nari Shakti, a platform for Indian women to empower one another, their communities and promote economic independence.

A trip to India in 1993 prompted Rupa's journey into filmmaking. Much of Rupa's film work explores the social implications of immigrant communities, the experiences of the South Asian diaspora and giving visibility to underrepresented voices.

Films
Rupa's short film Poonam (1994) is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.