Nisha Ganatra

Biography

Nisha Ganatra, born June 25, 1974, in Vancouver, is a Canadian-American director, writer, and producer of Indian descent. She studied at UCLA and later earned her MFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Her first feature film, Chutney Popcorn, which she directed, co-wrote, and starred in, gained critical acclaim and won multiple audience awards at international film festivals. Ganatra made her mark in television as a director and consulting producer on the first season of Transparent, earning a Golden Globe and an Emmy nomination. She went on to direct episodes of popular series including Girls, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Dear White People, Better Things, Shameless, and Mr. Robot, establishing herself as a sought-after director in both comedy and drama. Her major studio breakthrough came with the 2019 film Late Night, starring Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling, followed by The High Note in 2020, which featured Tracee Ellis Ross and Dakota Johnson. In 2025, she directed Freakier Friday, the sequel to the beloved body-swap comedy. Known for centering women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ voices, Ganatra’s work consistently reflects inclusive, character-driven storytelling.