Udaya Tara Nayar

Udaya Tara Nayar is a film journalist in India.

Udaya Tara Nayar was born in Trivandrum on August 15, 1947 as the fifth child of Shri S Ayyappan Pillai, Commissioner of Trivandrum Corporation, and Jebalabai. She had her initial schooling at Holy Angels Convent, Kunnukuzhi, Trivandrum. Her father moved to Mumbai after he retired and Udaya Tara Nayar continued her schooling in Mumbai at St Anthony’s High School, Chembur. She graduated in English Literature and French from the University of Mumbai as a student of Ramnarain Ruia College in 1966.

Udaya Tara Nayar began her journalism career in 1967 at Screen, under the mentorship of editor Shri S S Pillai, her paternal uncle. Pillai fostered an ethic of writing “from her conscience, adhering to facts and truths , treating all as equal, not hurting anyone, taking a detached, objective approach.” This helped Mrs Nayar earn a reputation for being unbiased and balanced in her writing.

In 1995, Mrs Nayar launched the Screen Awards, the first awards of the Hindi cinema industry to be judged by a jury representing all sectors and crafts of the industry. Under her leadership, the Screen Awards became noted for their fairness and freedom from manipulation and bias.

In 1996, Mrs Nayar left Screen to pursue personal commitments. In her absence, the publication changed from a broadsheet format to a magazine format. Mrs Nayar returned in 1998 as editor, and restored the broadsheet format.

In 2000, Mrs Nayar once again left Screen to help raise her grandchildren. It was at this time that Dilip Kumar approached her to write his biography, The Substance and the Shadow, which made the Amazon bestseller list within two weeks of its publication.

Mrs Nayar has won the following honours, recognitions and awards for her contribution to cinema journalism:

Mrs Nayar is married to V V Nayar, a pharmaceutical executive. They have one daughter, Vasanthamalini, and two grandchildren. As of September 2014^[update], Mrs Nayar is writing a book of short stories set in the southern India of her youth, dedicated to her grandchildren.

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