Paramita Roy (Bangla: পারমিতা মুখার্জি রায়) is an Australian independent film director, producer, writer, educator and keen photographer.[1] Born in Kolkata, India to Indian parents, Roy has relocated her family to Australia in 1999. Most known for her works on feature films, Hori Alone in Kolkata[2] and Another Day in Paradise[3] as director, producer and writer.[4]
Paramita is an acclaimed filmmaker, visionary entrepreneur, and dedicated activist, best known for her leadership at Virtual School Australia. With a career spanning over twenty-five years in education, she has made a profound impact on the lives of Afghan girls in exile. Through her innovative storytelling, theatre, and film productions at the Adelaide Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe, she continues to inspire change and advocate for marginalized voices.
Paramita holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the Queensland University of Technology and has studied film directing at the prestigious Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS). Her excellence in teaching has been recognized with the Blackboard Award for Teaching and the Teacher Excellence Award from Swinburne University.
Paramita Roy was born and raised in Kolkata, India, with much of her childhood spent in her father’s coal mines on the border of Bihar and West Bengal. Witnessing the hardships faced by miners and their families deeply influenced her worldview, instilling in her a profound empathy for those living in challenging circumstances. She shares a close bond with her sibling, Mita Mukherjee, a medical professional, who has been a constant source of support in all her endeavors.
Education and Cinematic Aspirations
Roy’s early exposure to the films of iconic Indian directors like Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen ignited her passion for parallel cinema. She dreamed of bringing this socially conscious form of filmmaking to a new audience in Australia. In 2010, she graduated from the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) with a specialization in Directing, setting the stage for her unique contributions to both cinema and education.
Theatre and Film Contributions
In addition to her work in film, Roy has a strong interest in theatre. She performed at the 2023 Adelaide Fringe Festival, where she wrote and directed the play Mums Behind the Masks. The following year, she directed ten shows of the digital play ‘My Doll’s House’ at the 2024 Adelaide Fringe. This was followed by four virtual performances of Battlefield Butterflies at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, further establishing her as a dynamic force in the world of digital and virtual theatre.
Educational Leadership and Empathy Advocacy
Roy’s passion for education led her to a teaching position at Swinburne University before she founded Virtual School Australia, where she currently serves as CEO. The school is a pioneering institution with a major focus on Empathy Education, organizing annual Global Empathy Conferences across the world. Under her leadership, the conferences have been held in prominent locations such as London, Seoul, and Charles University in Prague, with the 2025 conference set to take place at the University of California.
Her commitment to empathy extends to her work with Afghan girls in exile, offering them weekly classes through her online school. This initiative is part of her broader mission to empower marginalized communities through education.
Awards and Recognition
Paramita Roy’s contributions to education and filmmaking have earned her several prestigious awards, including the Teacher Excellence Award from Swinburne University and the Blackboard Award for Teaching in 2020. These accolades reflect her dedication to fostering empathy and creative expression through her work.
Personal Life
Roy divides her time between Melbourne and Adelaide, Australia, where she balances her professional pursuits with family life. Her son, Rubik Roy, a writer and lawyer, is also based in Melbourne, continuing the family’s legacy of intellectual and creative engagement.
Paramita Roy’s journey from the coal mines of India to the forefront of global empathy education and parallel cinema is a testament to her resilience, creativity, and unwavering commitment to making a difference in the world.
Roy started her career as a school teacher and has taught in Canada, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia and Australia. Currently, she teaches ICT at St Dominic's Priory College Adelaide, Australia.
In 2002, she initiated the Northern Territory Film-makers Association (NTFA) in Darwin, Australia along with the Down Under International Film Festival as a founding member and secretary till she moved to Canberra in 2004. While in Darwin, she directed many short films including People of the Rock, Tell Me Why and Reaching to Me. In an international collaboration, Roy directed a feature film on child labour, which was mentioned at the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly by Karin MacDonald. The film, Hori Alone in Kolkata[5] [6] [7] was screened in Australia and India. Roy has received several accolades for her photography[8] including the Life's Reflection Photography Award presented by the Chief Minister Jon Stanhope. In 2008–2009, Roy directed another feature film, Another Day in Paradise, which was about three teachers from Australia, Romania and India and their journey. The film[9] premiered in Australia in February 2010. Between 2005–2008, Roy has had many of her articles published and presented at the national conference held by the Australian Council for Computers in Education.[10] During her studies at NIDA, she directed a reflective piece about Indian students in Australia, called Paradise Lost. This was followed by another documentary and short film in 2010, Portrait of an Unknown Cabbie and The Leper, which were screened in Sydney, Australia.
Short Films