Anant Singh

EARLY LIFE

Anant Hareebrun Singh was born on 29 May 1956 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, into an Indian-South African family during the apartheid era. He grew up in the Springfield area of Durban. His father, a doctor named Hareebrun Singh, died of a heart attack in December 1969 when Anant was 13; the family found solace in films, often projecting 8mm Charlie Chaplin reels at home. As a teenager he worked in a film rental store, starting at R1 a day rewinding 16mm reels. At age 18 (1974), he left his studies at the University of Durban-Westville and bought the 16mm film rental store, marking the beginning of his career in the industry. He expanded into video distribution, navigating apartheid restrictions by operating in the “independent” homelands where certain banned films could be circulated.

CAREER

Singh founded Videovision Entertainment and is widely regarded as South Africa’s pre-eminent film producer. He has produced more than 80–100 films across five decades. Key milestones and credits include: Place of Weeping (1986) – the first anti-apartheid feature film shot entirely in South Africa (directed by Darrell Roodt); produced under surveillance by the apartheid Special Branch. Sarafina! (1992) – starring Whoopi Goldberg, Leleti Khumalo, and Miriam Makeba. Cry, the Beloved Country (1995) – starring James Earl Jones and Richard Harris; premiered as a benefit for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. Yesterday (2004) – directed by Darrell Roodt; South Africa’s first Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film; also won a Peabody Award. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) – starring Idris Elba and Naomie Harris. Singh spent over 16–20 years developing the project after Nelson Mandela personally granted him the film rights to his autobiography while still in prison. Mandela described him as “a producer I respect very much… a man of tremendous ability.” Other notable productions include Mr Bones (2001) and its sequel, The Stick, Hellgate, The Long Run, More Than Just a Game, and television series such as Imbewu: The Seed and House of Zwide. He is Chairman of Cape Town Film Studios, co-chairs the radio station Smile 90.4FM, and serves on various boards including Brand South Africa and the Nelson Mandela 46664 initiative. In 2016 he was elected to the International Olympic Committee, later chairing the IOC Communications Commission and serving on the Olympic Channel, Digital and Technology, and Los Angeles 2028 Coordination commissions.

PERSONAL LIFE

Singh is married to Vanashree Singh. The couple have children. He has maintained a long-standing personal and professional partnership with his wife and remains based in Durban while operating nationally and internationally. He is also involved in horse racing as an owner.

Anant Singh is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Major awards and honours include: Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum (2001) Peabody Award (2005) for Yesterday Inaugural Golden Horn Lifetime Achievement Award at the SAFTAs (2006) World Visionary Award (Palm Beach International Film Festival, 2007) International Women’s Forum Legacy Award (2015 – first man to receive it) Multiple honorary doctorates Lifetime achievement awards from KwaZulu-Natal and other film bodies He published a memoir, In Black and White (2021), detailing his journey from a small Durban film shop to international producer. Singh continues to advocate for African stories told at scale and remains one of the most influential figures in South African and African cinema.