Ram Gopal Varma, often referred to by his initials RGV, is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer, known for his works in Telugu cinema in addition to Hindi, Kannada films and television.^[1] Varma has directed films across multiple genres, including parallel cinema and docudrama noted for their gritty realism, technical finesse, and craft.^[2] Regarded as one of the pioneers and prolific filmmakers of new age Indian cinema.^[3]

In 2010, Varma received critical acclaim at the Fribourg International Film Festival, Switzerland; a retrospective of his filmography, highlighting Mumbai Noir was staged by film critic Edouard Waintrop, a delegate in the Directors' Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival.^[4][5] Satya and Company, in particular, were cited by British director Danny Boyle as influences on him for their "slick, often mesmerizing portrayals of the Mumbai underworld", their display of "brutality and urban violence".^[6][7][8]