Geeta Patel

{{short description|Indian descent, American film director and screenwriter}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Geeta Vasant Patel

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1975|12|22}}

| birth_place = Evanston, Illinois, U.S.

| occupation = {{Plainlist|

Film screenwriter
Television director
Film director
Producer

}}

| partner =

| spouse =

| years_active = 2001–present

| notable_works = {{Plainlist|

Meet the Patels (2014)
House of the Dragon (2022–24)
Ahsoka (2023)

}}

| website =

}}

Geeta Vasant Patel{{Efn|In this Indian name, Vasant is a patronymic and the family name is Patel.}} (born December 22, 1975){{cite web|title=GEETA PATEL NEWS|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Geeta-Patel/news|accessdate=April 20, 2023|work=ETIMES (India)|date=April 14, 2023}} is an American film and television director, screenwriter, and producer best known for her work on Meet the Patels (2014), House of the Dragon (2022–24), and Ahsoka (2023).

Career

In the early 2000s, Patel began her career by serving as an assistant writer on The Beast, The Fast and the Furious, Blue Crush, The Rundown, and Mindhunters. In 2008, she made her directorial debut with the documentary film Project Kashmir. In 2014, she directed and wrote her second documentary, Meet the Patels, with her brother Ravi V. Patel.{{cite news|last1=Miller|first1=Julie|title=Introducing Meet the Patels, the Best 2015 Documentary That You Probably Haven't Heard Of|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/09/meet-the-patels-documentary|accessdate=April 14, 2023|work=Vanity Fair|date=September 10, 2015}} In October 2015, Fox Searchlight acquired the rights to remake the film, with the Patel siblings set to co-write and co-direct.{{cite news|last1=Fleming|first1=Mike Jr.|title='Meet The Patels' In Fox Searchlight Remake Deal; Ravi And Geeta Patel To Write, Co-Direct|url=https://deadline.com/2015/10/meet-the-patels-ravi-patel-geeta-patel-fox-searchlight-documentary-remake-1201589924/|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=October 21, 2015|accessdate=April 14, 2023}}{{cite news|last1=Rao|first1=Mallika|title=Master of None's Ravi Patel on Doing the Infamous Indian Accent and the Second Coming of Aziz Ansari|url=https://www.vulture.com/2015/11/ravi-patel-aziz-ansari-second-coming.html|accessdate=April 14, 2023|work=Vulture|date=November 11, 2015}}

In the 2010s, she directed episodes of Independent Lens, Sense8, The Mindy Project, Survivor's Remorse, Superstore, The Mick, Fresh Off the Boat, Speechless, Champions, Atypical, Santa Clarita Diet, Chambers, Dead to Me, Sweetbitter, and Runaways. In the following decade, she worked on the television series The Magicians, The Great, and P-Valley.

In January 2020, Patel was recruited to direct episodes 6 and 7 of The Witcher season 2,{{Cite web|date=January 31, 2020|title=Full director lineup of The Witcher Season 2 revealed|url=http://redanianintelligence.com/2020/01/31/full-director-lineup-of-the-witcher-season-2-revealed/|access-date=April 14, 2023|website=Redanian Intelligence}} but, in October, it was revealed that Patel was replaced by Louise Hooper, due to scheduling conflicts and refusing to be committed to a months-long stay in the United Kingdom, after production was suspended due to the COVID-19.{{Cite web|date=October 14, 2020|title=UPDATED: The Witcher Season 2 adds director Louise Hooper, replacing Geeta Patel|url=http://redanianintelligence.com/2020/10/14/the-witcher-season-2-may-have-exchanged-one-director-for-another/|access-date=April 14, 2023|website=Redanian Intelligence}} In 2023, she directed an episode of the Star Wars series Ahsoka.{{Cite web |last=Mitovich |first=Matt Webb |date=April 8, 2023 |title=Ahsoka: Lars Mikkelsen to Return as Grand Admiral Thrawn, David Tennant Will Again Voice the Droid Huyang |url=https://tvline.com/2023/04/08/ahsoka-lars-mikkelsen-cast-grand-admiral-thrawn-david-tennant-droid-huyang/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408141051/https://tvline.com/2023/04/08/ahsoka-lars-mikkelsen-cast-grand-admiral-thrawn-david-tennant-droid-huyang/ |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |access-date=April 14, 2023 |website=TVLine}} In April 2024, she directed an episode of the streaming miniseries Under the Bridge.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/09/hulu-orders-eight-episode-limited-series-under-the-bridge-1235127940/|title=Hulu Orders Eight-Episode Limited Series 'Under The Bridge'|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Lynette|last=Rice|date=September 27, 2022|access-date=April 14, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/hulu-premiere-dates-under-the-bridge-the-contestant-freaknik-the-wildest-party-never-told-1235820003/|title=Hulu Reveals Premiere Dates For 'Under The Bridge', 'The Contestant' & 'Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told'|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Lynette|last=Rice|date=February 9, 2024|access-date=March 30, 2024}} By August 2024, she directed three episodes for the streaming series House of the Dragon.{{Cite web |last=Scherer |first=Jenna |date=October 9, 2022 |title=House Of The Dragon drops its best episode yet |url=https://www.avclub.com/house-of-the-dragon-review-season-1-episode-8-the-l-1849636604 |access-date=April 14, 2023 |website=The A.V. Club}}{{Cite web |last=Hullender |first=Tatiana |date=June 30, 2024 |title=House Of The Dragon Season 2, Episode 3: Director Breaks Down Daemon's Visions & Rhaenyra's Plan |url=https://screenrant.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-episode-3-geeta-vasant-patel-interview/ |access-date=October 6, 2024 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=August 5, 2024 |title=Episode 8: 'The Queen Who Ever Was' |url=https://press.wbd.com/us/synopses/episode-8-queen-who-ever-was |access-date=October 6, 2024 |website=Warner Bros. Discovery |language=en}}In February 2025, Patel was announced to be directing some episodes of DC Studios' Lanterns for HBO.{{Cite web |last=Jensen |first=Jeff |date=2025-02-27 |title=When Green Lanterns Become True Detectives: Meet HBO’s Pulpy, Prestige-y 'Lanterns' |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/when-green-lanterns-become-true-detectives-meet-hbos-pulpy-prestige-y-lanterns |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}

Filmography

Feature film

class="wikitable"
style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;" ! rowspan="2" style="width:33px;"\|Year ! rowspan="2" style="text-align:left;"\|Title ! colspan="3" \|Credited as ! rowspan="2" \|Note(s)
width="65"\| Director ! width="65"\| Screenwriter ! width="65"\| Producer
2001 \|The Fast and the Furious \|{{no}} \|{{partial\|Associate}} \|{{no}} \|
2002 \|Blue Crush \|{{no}} \|{{partial\|Associate}} \|{{no}} \|
2003 \|The Rundown \|{{no}} \|{{partial\|Associate}} \|{{no}} \|
2004 \|Mindhunters \|{{no}} \|{{partial\|Associate}} \|{{no}} \|
2008 \|Project Kashmir \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|Also additional camera operator{{cite web\|last1=Schenker\|first1=Andrew\|title=Human Rights Watch 2008 Project Kashmir\|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/article/human-rights-watch-international-film-festival-2008-project-kashmir\|publisher=Slant Magazine}}{{cite web\|url=http://es.xfinity.com/sdmy/blogs/tv/2012/04/24/cinema-asian-america-directors-senain-kheshgi-and-geeta-patel-discuss-project-kashmir/\|title=Cinema Asian America: Directors Senain Kheshgi and Geeta Patel Discuss 'Project Kashmir'\|date=April 24, 2012\|access-date=April 14, 2023\|first=Chi-Hui\|last=Yang}}
2014 \|Meet the Patels \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|Also cinematographer and editor

class="wikitable"

style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2" style="width:33px;"|Year

! rowspan="2" style="text-align:left;"|Title

! colspan="3" |Credited as

! rowspan="2" |Note(s)

width="65"| Director

! width="65"| Screenwriter

! width="65"| Producer

2001

|The Fast and the Furious

|{{no}}

|{{partial|Associate}}

|{{no}}

2002

|Blue Crush

|{{no}}

|{{partial|Associate}}

|{{no}}

2003

|The Rundown

|{{no}}

|{{partial|Associate}}

|{{no}}

2004

|Mindhunters

|{{no}}

|{{partial|Associate}}

|{{no}}

2008

|Project Kashmir

|{{yes}}

|Also additional camera operator{{cite web|last1=Schenker|first1=Andrew|title=Human Rights Watch 2008 Project Kashmir|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/article/human-rights-watch-international-film-festival-2008-project-kashmir|publisher=Slant Magazine}}{{cite web|url=http://es.xfinity.com/sdmy/blogs/tv/2012/04/24/cinema-asian-america-directors-senain-kheshgi-and-geeta-patel-discuss-project-kashmir/|title=Cinema Asian America: Directors Senain Kheshgi and Geeta Patel Discuss 'Project Kashmir'|date=April 24, 2012|access-date=April 14, 2023|first=Chi-Hui|last=Yang}}

2014

|Meet the Patels

|{{yes}}

|Also cinematographer and editor

Television

class="wikitable"
style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;" ! rowspan="2" style="width:33px;"\|Year ! rowspan="2" style="text-align:left;"\|Title ! colspan="3" \|Credited as ! rowspan="2" \|Note(s)
width="65"\| Director ! width="65"\| Screenwriter ! width="65"\| Producer
2001 \|The Beast \|{{no}} \|{{partial\|Associate}} \|{{partial\|Associate}} \|6 episodes
2010, 2016 \|Independent Lens \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|2 episodes Also cinematographer and editor{{cite web \|url=https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/meet-the-patels/ \|title= Meet the Patels \| Documentary about Indian American Arranged Marriage \| Independent Lens \|publisher=PBS \|access-date=April 14, 2023 }}
2015 \|Sense8 \|{{partial\|2nd Unit}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|8 episodes
2016–17 \|The Mindy Project \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|3 episodes[https://www.mansworldindia.com/web-stories/meet-geeta-patel-the-indian-origin-director-behind-house-of-the-dragons-highest-rated-episode/ Meet Geeta Patel, The Indian-origin Director Behind House Of The Dragon's Highest Rated Episode]
2016 \|Survivor's Remorse \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode: "The Thank-You Note"
2016–18 \|Superstore \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|5 episodes
rowspan="3"\|2017 \|The Mick \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode: "The Mess"
Fresh Off the Boat \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode: "Driving Miss Jenny"
Speechless \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode: "M-a-May-Jay"
rowspan="2"\|2018 \|Champions \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|2 episodes
Atypical \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode: "Pants on Fire"
rowspan="5"\|2019 \|Santa Clarita Diet \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode: "We Let People Die Every Day"
Chambers \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode: "Trauma Bonding"
Dead to Me \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|2 episodes
Sweetbitter \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|2 episodes
Runaways \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode: "The Broken Circle"
rowspan="3"\|2020 \|The Magicians \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode: "Magicians Anonymous"
The Great \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|2 episodes[https://www.shethepeople.tv/shestars/who-is-geeta-patel-house-of-the-dragon/ Who Is Geeta Patel? Director Of 'House of the Dragon']
P-Valley \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode: "Belly"
2022–24 \|House of the Dragon \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|3 episodes{{Cite Instagram\|postid=Cz3WE_CLyja\|user=thegenuinetoussaint\|title=And we're done! These are the numbers…. #HOTD\|date=November 20, 2023\|author=Steve Toussaint}}
2023 \|Ahsoka \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode: "Part Seven: Dreams and Madness"
2024 \|Under the Bridge \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes\|Executive}} \|Episodes: "Looking Glass"{{cite web\|url=https://deadline.com/video/under-the-bridge-trailer-lily-gladstone-riley-keough-hulu/\|title='Under The Bridge' Trailer: Lily Gladstone & Riley Keough Search For A Killer In Hulu Series\|date=March 25, 2024\|access-date=March 30, 2024\|work=Deadline\|last=Petski\|first=Denise}}
2026 \|Lanterns \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{TBA}}

class="wikitable"

style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2" style="width:33px;"|Year

! rowspan="2" style="text-align:left;"|Title

! colspan="3" |Credited as

! rowspan="2" |Note(s)

width="65"| Director

! width="65"| Screenwriter

! width="65"| Producer

2001

|The Beast

|{{no}}

|{{partial|Associate}}

|6 episodes

2010, 2016

|Independent Lens

|{{yes}}

|2 episodes
Also cinematographer and editor{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/meet-the-patels/ |title= Meet the Patels | Documentary about Indian American Arranged Marriage | Independent Lens |publisher=PBS |access-date=April 14, 2023 }}

2015

|Sense8

|{{partial|2nd Unit}}

|{{no}}

|8 episodes

2016–17

|The Mindy Project

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|3 episodes[https://www.mansworldindia.com/web-stories/meet-geeta-patel-the-indian-origin-director-behind-house-of-the-dragons-highest-rated-episode/ Meet Geeta Patel, The Indian-origin Director Behind House Of The Dragon's Highest Rated Episode]

2016

|Survivor's Remorse

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode: "The Thank-You Note"

2016–18

|Superstore

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|5 episodes

rowspan="3"|2017

|The Mick

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode: "The Mess"

Fresh Off the Boat

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode: "Driving Miss Jenny"

Speechless

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode: "M-a-May-Jay"

rowspan="2"|2018

|Champions

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|2 episodes

Atypical

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode: "Pants on Fire"

rowspan="5"|2019

|Santa Clarita Diet

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode: "We Let People Die Every Day"

Chambers

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode: "Trauma Bonding"

Dead to Me

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|2 episodes

Sweetbitter

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|2 episodes

Runaways

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode: "The Broken Circle"

rowspan="3"|2020

|The Magicians

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode: "Magicians Anonymous"

The Great

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|2 episodes[https://www.shethepeople.tv/shestars/who-is-geeta-patel-house-of-the-dragon/ Who Is Geeta Patel? Director Of 'House of the Dragon']

P-Valley

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode: "Belly"

2022–24

|House of the Dragon

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|3 episodes{{Cite Instagram|postid=Cz3WE_CLyja|user=thegenuinetoussaint|title=And we're done! These are the numbers…. #HOTD|date=November 20, 2023|author=Steve Toussaint}}

2023

|Ahsoka

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode: "Part Seven: Dreams and Madness"

2024

|Under the Bridge

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes|Executive}}

|Episodes: "Looking Glass"{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/video/under-the-bridge-trailer-lily-gladstone-riley-keough-hulu/|title='Under The Bridge' Trailer: Lily Gladstone & Riley Keough Search For A Killer In Hulu Series|date=March 25, 2024|access-date=March 30, 2024|work=Deadline|last=Petski|first=Denise}}

2026

|Lanterns

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{TBA}}

Accolades

For her work on Meet the Patels, she won the Audience Choice Award at the 2014 LA Film Festival, the Top 10 Audience Favorite at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Best Feature Documentary at the Mt. Hood Independent Film Festival, the Audience Award at the Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival, and Best Documentary Film and Founders Grand Prize Best Film at the Traverse City Film Festival.{{cite news|last1=Clayson|first1=Jane|title=One Surprisingly Modern Arranged Marriage|url=http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/09/15/meet-the-patels-documentary-film|accessdate=April 14, 2023|work=On Point – WBUR|date=September 15, 2015}} For her work on Under the Bridge, she was nominated at the 1st Gotham TV Awards for "Breakthrough Limited Series".{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/awards/2024-gotham-tv-awards-nominations-1236001785/ |title=Baby Reindeer, Shogun, X-Men '97 and Black Twitter Doc Lead Inaugural Gotham TV Awards Nominations |last=Davis |first=Clayton |work=Variety |date=May 14, 2024 |access-date=October 6, 2024}}

Footnotes

References

External links

{{IMDb name|1203789}}

Category:1975 births

Category:21st-century American women writers

Category:Film directors from Illinois

Category:American television directors

Category:American women television directors

Category:Film producers from Illinois

Category:Living people

Category:People from Evanston, Illinois

Category:Screenwriters from Illinois