Sundeep Malani

Sandeep Malani (born 19 November 1971) is an Indian film director.

Early years

Sandeep Malani was born in 1971 to a Roman Catholic family in Mumbai and was raised in Mangalore. Malani himself did his early schooling at the Milagres School in Mangalore.

Film career

Malani co-directed the Kannada film, Miss California, which was the debut film of actor Diganth.

He has variously served as a TV host for local Mangalorean channels, events organiser, costume designer and directed a few music videos for local channels involving dancers and stage artistes of Mangalore. Malani has acted in a few theatre plays as well.

Malani has also been a part of the direction team in Onir's I Am anthology film, working on the "I Am Abhimanyu" and "I Am Omar" segments.

He has directed a variety of short films, some of them covering controversial issues such as AIDS ("Jo Jo Laali – a heart wrenching lullaby") and homosexuality ("Shaayad"). His other short film was made in three languages: "Hum Tum Aur Loan" (Hindi), "Yella Ok, Loan Yaake" (Kannada) and "A Loanly Life" (English).

Malani

Roko Malani (1754–1833) was the eldest son of Rasolo, the first Tui Nayau (Paramount Chief of Fiji's Lau Islands), and of Laufitu a high-ranking lady of Totoya and Tongan descent. The father of Viliame Vuetasau. He succeeded to the title Roko Sau, after engineering a successful coup d'état and slaying his uncle, Matawalu, the fourth Roko Sau, in battle. This kin slaying was the result of the latter’s dislike and plan to expel Tongan settlers from Lakeba. As Roko Malani was half Tongan, his hand was forced to remove his uncle from power and eliminate his followers as an effective force on the island. Roko Malani was later installed as Tui Nayau, and thus become the second holder of this title.

He is described by one of the early missionaries to Lakeba as being "a good looking muscular man", and he was responsible for establishing the kingdom of the Tui Nayau in the form which it was known to the first European observers. One of his earliest campaigns resulting in the extension of his domain was to lead a battle against Cicia, then an independent island, in retribution for the earlier death of his cousin Nayacatabu. He ambushed the Tui Cicia, or overlord of Cicia, and his forces on Nayau and killed him. The ensuing bloodbath is still remembered by the place name where the battle occurred. This area on Nayau is called Sosoiwaidamudamu or the Swamp of Red Water. This battle brought Cicia from this point forward under the power of the Tui Nayau. In addition the islands of Komo and Olorua were given to the Kabara champion and his battle ally, Ravu, in recognition for Kabara’s contribution to the defeat of Cicia. These two islands still remain as part of the Kabara District today.