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Tag: Neeraj Ghaywan

  • Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha headline Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts’ new campaign

    Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha headline Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts’ new campaign

    MUMBAI: Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts is back in the spotlight with its newest campaign, ‘For the Select Ones’, starring the discerning duo Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha. Conceptualised by FCB NEO, the sleek new film champions craft, character, and the courage to chart one’s own course — echoing the brand’s core philosophy of celebrating purposeful storytelling and refined choices.

    In a market flooded with noise, ‘For the Select Ones’ whispers a quieter truth: that greatness lies not in following the crowd, but in choosing with intent. Both on-screen and off, Rajkummar and Patralekha exemplify that ideal, having carved careers defined by depth, not dazzle.

    The campaign pays homage to artists who’ve walked the talk — past collaborators on the Barrel Select Shorts platform include cinematic heavyweights like Anurag Kashyap, Sujoy Ghosh, Neeraj Ghaywan, and Tigmanshu Dhulia. Now, with this film, the brand doubles down on its commitment to creating an ecosystem for intelligent, bold narratives that refuse to pander.

    Speaking on the campaign, Pernod Ricard India CMO Kartik Mohindra said, “Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts has evolved into creating an ecosystem that brings world-class narratives to curious and discerning audiences, thus becoming the destination for short films in India. With our new thematic campaign, For the Select Ones, we continue this next chapter of our brand’s select storytelling journey by celebrating those who embody success through their distinct choices.”

    “This film is a quiet tribute to the art of choosing well. In a world overflowing with options, true identity is shaped by what we say no to as much as what we embrace. The process of creating this story with Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha was about capturing that subtle, internal journey, where each choice becomes a building block of a legacy. It aligns beautifully with the Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts ethos of celebrating individuals with a refined eye and fearless vision,” expressed FCB NEO CCO Mayuresh Dubhashi.

    Sharing his thoughts, Rao said: “Over the years, I’ve learned that true success lies in staying authentic and making choices that reflect who you are at your core. Whether it’s in the characters I play or the decisions I make in life, I’ve always aimed to strike a balance between substance and intention. For the Select Ones is a powerful reflection of that mindset— valuing integrity, thoughtfulness, and individuality. I’m proud to be part of Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts’ campaign that celebrates the strength of discerning choices.”

    Adding her perspective, Patralekha said: “Throughout my journey, I’ve always believed in carving my own path. I’ve long admired the short films from Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts for their depth, craft, and storytelling. Their narrative closely aligns with my belief in making choices that reflect true artistic vision. I’m honoured to collaborate with a brand that champions discernment and excellence.”

    Backed by a high-voltage amplification plan, the campaign is set to inspire a generation that values thoughtful ambition — a salute to those who refuse to settle.

     

  • “You Better Do A Good Job Because He’s Our Best Man” Indian Army’s advice to Vicky Kaushal ahead of Sam Bahadur

    “You Better Do A Good Job Because He’s Our Best Man” Indian Army’s advice to Vicky Kaushal ahead of Sam Bahadur

    Mumbai: Vicky Kaushal made his debut over eight years ago in the Neeraj Ghaywan directorial Masaan. Since then, he has established himself as one of the prominent actors in the country with notable performances across films including Raazi, Sanju, and Lust Stories, amongst others. In early stages of his career, Vicky won the National Award for Best Actor for his performance in Uri: The Surgical Strike. He will next be seen in the upcoming biographical war drama film Sam Bahadur which has been directed by Meghna Gulzar. Ahead of its release, Vicky appeared on the IMDb exclusive segment ‘Essential Guide to Vicky Kaushal’ where he spoke about his journey so far in Bollywood while sharing personal anecdotes of his upcoming film.

    Find out more below:

    Sharing his experience of shooting for Sam Bahadur, Kaushal mentioned, “Every time I would interact with the Indian Army, every time they would be like, ‘we are very happy you’re getting to play this role, but you better do a good job because he’s our best man and you’re playing our best man’. Most of the dialogues in the film, which sound like these filmy dialogues, are actually said by him, quote, unquote. And I’m just praying that when the film comes out, people feel the tribute that we wish to give to the man, to the legend.”

    Revealing the moment he knew he wanted to be an actor, Kaushal said, “During my engineering college days, we were taken to a multinational company. They showed us the work culture post completion of college. That day I knew what I didn’t want to do in life. So, I started asking myself what’s going to make me happy. That’s where I got the answer that once I finish graduation, I am going to become an actor.”

    Speaking of Masaan, the first film where he played a protagonist, Kaushal said, “I didn’t know that it was going to affect me so much. We shot in Banaras where there was magical magnetic energy, which just pulled me in. With this movie, I saw myself for the first time on the big screen at the Cannes Film Festival. One year prior to that, I was looking for opportunities, for a job, knocking doors.”

    Speaking of when he assisted Anurag Kashyap on Gangs of Wasseypur, Kaushal said,  “I consider it to be my film school  where I got the opportunity to assist Anurag Kashyap on Gangs of Wasseypur. It was a bunch of fantastic actors coming together to do this film. And it was also a film made with very limited resources. It did not have the vanity of a big-scale Bollywood film. I still carry those learnings with me, it still helps me when I’m performing.”

    Sharing his experience of working on Sanju, Kaushal said, “I got the opportunity to work with one of the best directors in the country, Rajkumar Hirani. Kamli was a beautiful character I got to play with some beautiful writing done for the film. I got to work with Ranbir. I had heard other actors say that it is a great feeling to be called by your character’s name. I got to experience that with Kamli. I got to live that moment with Sanju.”

    Speaking of the turning point of his career, Kaushal shared, “Uri: The Surgical Strike has to be my biggest turning point as an actor in terms of the success of the film, in terms of how well this film was received, celebrated. It was a tribute to the Indian army. For four months, there was a proper boot camp training which I had to undergo. I was trained by the Indian army. I got to win the National Award for this film, which is probably one of the happiest days of my life because it’s a huge honour.”

  • Netflix launches ‘Take Ten’ initiative to support emerging filmmakers

    Netflix launches ‘Take Ten’ initiative to support emerging filmmakers

    Mumbai: Netflix on Monday announced the launch of ‘Take Ten,’ a short film workshop and competition, that aims to discover and support emerging filmmakers from diverse backgrounds in India.

    ‘Take Ten’ is sponsored by Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, which has dedicated $100 million a year over five years to support the next generation of storytellers from underrepresented communities.

    As part of this initiative, ten filmmakers will be given an exciting opportunity to attend workshops by the best in the creative industry and then to make a fully-funded short film with a $10,000 grant, a statement said. The films will be showcased on Netflix India’s YouTube channel.

    “Take Ten is a celebration of storytelling and originality. The workshop and competition aim to be inclusive and showcase the diverse voices behind and in front of the camera in India,” said film critic, author and Film Companion editor Anupama Chopra, who is leading the programme. “I hope Take Ten enables artists across India to find their footing and soar.”

    Applicants who want to apply for ‘Take Ten’ must be a citizen or resident of India and over the age of 18 years. The registrations will open on 7 February. To enter, applicants are to submit a film of up to two minutes based on the topic ‘My India,’ which should be shot with their phone and represent who they are as a filmmaker, said the statement. 

    The shortlisted participants will not only get to bring their short film idea to life but they will also get a chance to learn about writing, direction, production and more from award-winning talent including Abhishek Chaubey, Hansal Mehta, Juhi Chaturvedi, Neeraj Ghaywan and Guneet Monga, it added.

  • Vicks launches #TouchOfCare campaign

    MUMBAI: Vicks, a brand synonymous with care globally, has launched a heartwarming new campaign ‘Touch of Care’. It reasserts the importance of care while challenging and seeking to redefine what family is in contemporary society. The campaign leads with the idea that ‘Family is where Care is’ portraying the real life story of an orphan and her newfound ‘mother’.

    Created by Publicis Singapore, the story is told in the first person by the orphaned girl Gayatri herself. The film beautifully captures how Gauri cared for Gayatri as her own, against all odds, with deep compassion and love. The story reflects the challenges that Gauri faces from the rest of society, as a transgender woman.

    The Vicks Brand has stood for Family Care in India for over 50 years. However, family today is not always as tightly defined as it once was. With the changing face of life across India and an increasing number of people living away from their traditional environments –the idea of family now goes far beyond just biological connections or sharing a surname. Vicks has therefore adopted this bold and progressive stance- that above all else, it is care that is the ultimate definition of what a family is.

    According to P&G CEO Nitin Darbari: “Vicks has always been about the gentle touch of a mother’s care, as she caresses and gives relief to her child. With the #TouchOfCare campaign we are going a step further and expounding the importance of care beyond just the traditional perception of family. The campaign shows how people who, though not connected by blood, end up being family through care itself”.

    Publicis Singapore CCO – global clients Ajay Thrivikraman commented “Looking for a way to express this powerful idea was both a heartening and humbling experience, once we realized that stories of extraordinary care are all around us in real life, and we are honoured that Gauri and Gayatri gave us an opportunity to share their story of care with the world.”

    Publicis Communications APAC chief strategy officer Ed Booty said: “Great brands don’t just reflect safe and accepted norms, instead they dare to set agendas in culture at large. That is our ambition with this work for Vicks – to give the timeless idea of Family Care a fresh and contemporary meaning.”

    Film director Neeraj Ghaywan said: “It was an immensely gratifying and inspiring experience to put together Gauri and Gayatri’s story. #TouchOfCare questions our conventional understanding of a mother and what constitutes a family.”

  • British Airways Indian campaign wins Hollywood award

    British Airways Indian campaign wins Hollywood award

    NEW DELHI: The “Fuelled by Love” campaign created by SapientNitro for British Airways has become the first Indian campaign to have won an award under the online video category at the A-list Awards, Hollywood. 

    British Airways “Fuelled by Love” – the bronze champion is an ad campaign for the Indian market, highlighting the airline’s sense of love, respect and sincerity to their association with India.

    The A-List Hollywood Awards are one of the first creative competition of its kind in Hollywood, honouring excellence and innovation intersecting between advertising and entertainment across all platforms.

    The video has crossed over 1.8 million views on Youtube till now and showcases the story of how a British Airways crew member falls in love with India during her first visit to the country and her emotional connect with one of the passengers.

    Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, the critically acclaimed director of the Bollywood movie Masaan, the British Airways “Fuelled by Love” film went live in February this year, and follows the story of a young cabin crew member of British origin who is flying to India for the first time.

    “We are extremely proud to get acknowledged for our work done for British Airways, at highly reputed international platforms such as the A-list Hollywood Awards. At SapientNitro, we strive to create connections across the physical, virtual and emotional spaces to create heart touching campaigns. It’s a great honour and I extend my best wishes to everyone involved” said SapientNitro India Chief Creative Officer K.V Sridhar (Pops).

    Neeraj Ghaywan, Director of the film tweeted out to announce the news saying – “#FuelledByLove A campaign for @British_Airways that I had directed won a Bronze at the A List Awards, Hollywood. Thank you for the wonderful team! Agency @SapientIndia: @kvpops @endowscopy, Surjo Dutt, @theniketkumar, Tulika and Client: Priti Khurana!”

  • British Airways Indian campaign wins Hollywood award

    British Airways Indian campaign wins Hollywood award

    NEW DELHI: The “Fuelled by Love” campaign created by SapientNitro for British Airways has become the first Indian campaign to have won an award under the online video category at the A-list Awards, Hollywood. 

    British Airways “Fuelled by Love” – the bronze champion is an ad campaign for the Indian market, highlighting the airline’s sense of love, respect and sincerity to their association with India.

    The A-List Hollywood Awards are one of the first creative competition of its kind in Hollywood, honouring excellence and innovation intersecting between advertising and entertainment across all platforms.

    The video has crossed over 1.8 million views on Youtube till now and showcases the story of how a British Airways crew member falls in love with India during her first visit to the country and her emotional connect with one of the passengers.

    Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, the critically acclaimed director of the Bollywood movie Masaan, the British Airways “Fuelled by Love” film went live in February this year, and follows the story of a young cabin crew member of British origin who is flying to India for the first time.

    “We are extremely proud to get acknowledged for our work done for British Airways, at highly reputed international platforms such as the A-list Hollywood Awards. At SapientNitro, we strive to create connections across the physical, virtual and emotional spaces to create heart touching campaigns. It’s a great honour and I extend my best wishes to everyone involved” said SapientNitro India Chief Creative Officer K.V Sridhar (Pops).

    Neeraj Ghaywan, Director of the film tweeted out to announce the news saying – “#FuelledByLove A campaign for @British_Airways that I had directed won a Bronze at the A List Awards, Hollywood. Thank you for the wonderful team! Agency @SapientIndia: @kvpops @endowscopy, Surjo Dutt, @theniketkumar, Tulika and Client: Priti Khurana!”

  • Sixth Jagran Film Festival to open with ‘Masaan’

    Sixth Jagran Film Festival to open with ‘Masaan’

    MUMBAI: With India’s high profile entry in Cannes Film Festival Masaan directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and starring Sanjay Mishra, Richa Chaddha and Shweta Tiwary, the sixth edition of Jagran Film Festival is ready to take off starting 1 July.

     

    Winner of two prestigious awards the FIPRESCI, International Jury of Film Critics prize and Promising Future prize in the Un Certain Regard section, Masaan has received wide critical acclaim globally.

     

    While Variety’s Jay Weissberg writes, “A ‘Promising Future’ prize in Cannes should help this narratively challenged drama of two families trapped in the strictures of India’s rigid caste system.”

     

    Hollywood Reporter’s Deborsh Young describes it as “India’s modern and traditional sides face off in two interlocking love stories.”

     

    A collaborative effort of Phantom Films, Drishyam, Macassar Productions, Pathe, Sikhya Entertainment and Arte Cinema, France,  Masaan will be presented on 1 July, 2015 evening by Ghaywan and the star cast of the film to the festival delegates personally. 

     

    Cannes Film Festival’s strategic consultant Manoj Srivastava said, “It’s a matter of pride to open the festival with such a prestigious and worthy film. Masaan is just the beginning; the festival has a lot in store for film delegates this year which would be revealed over the next few days.”

     

    The Film Festival begins in New Delhi’s Siri Fort Auditoria and will present a wide ranging Indian and foreign cinema with specially curated sections on thematic lines. Masaan an official entry in the Festival will compete for the Indian Showcase Awards.

  • Two Indian films in Un Certain Regard at Cannes

    Two Indian films in Un Certain Regard at Cannes

    NEW DELHI: Two Indian films have been chosen for the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes International Film Festival, while renowned British-Indian filmmaker Asif Kapadia’s Amy will be featured in a Midnight Screening.

     

    No Indian film has made it in the main competition of the festival being held from 13 to 24 May.

     

    The Richa Chadda-starrer Masaan is the debut feature by Neeraj Ghaywan. “I am thrilled to be going again to Cannes with a movie! Over the moon, and excited about this for India and the team of Masaan… It’s a huge deal,” said Chadda, who had earlier been to the festival with the Gangs Of Wasseypur team.

     

    Masaan is an Indo-French collaboration co-produced by Anurag Kashyap under the Phantom Films banner. The film also stars Shweta Tripathi, Sanjay Mishra and Vicky Kaushal in a gritty drama shot in Benaras.

     

    “#Cannes2015 Masaan (Fly Away Solo) by Neeraj Ghaywan #UnCertainRegard,” confirmed the official Twitter handle of Cannes film festival. Ghaywan too took to Twitter to express his delight. “Happiest tweet I will ever put up. Our first film Masaan is selected at Un Certain Regard section of Cannes 2015,” he tweeted.

     

    Gurvinder Singh’s Punjabi film Chauthi Koot (The Fourth Direction) is the other film in the section. Singh, who shot to fame with Anhe Ghore Da Daan, has turned his attention to state-sponsored crimes in Punjab of the 1980s and the resistance movement it spawned.

     

    Asif Kapadia’s Amy is a documentary on the late Rhythm&Blues singer Amy Winehouse who was found dead at her residence of suspected alcohol poisoning at the age of 27 in July 2011. She achieved worldwide fame with her album Back to Black, which won five Grammies.

     

    As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, Emmanuelle Bercot will open Cannes with her film La Tete Haute.

     

    There are 17 films in the main competition, fourteen in the Un Certain Regard, four out of competition, two Midnight Screenings, and six Special Screenings.

  • Sundance Institute and Mahindra choose 4 filmmakers for global recognition

    Sundance Institute and Mahindra choose 4 filmmakers for global recognition

    MUMBAI: With every passing day, the independent filmmakers are becoming a force to reckon with. The young, emerging filmmakers just don’t satisfy their passion for filmmaking but also put across the message they believe in through their films. And if the works of these young filmmakers are recognised, the work just gets better.

    The Sundance Institute and Mahindra did that only by announcing the winners of the 2014 Sundance Institute, Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award, in recognition and support of emerging independent filmmakers from around the world. The four winning directors and projects are: Hong Khaou for the film Monsoon from Vietnam/UK; Tobias Lindholm for A War from Denmark; Ashlee Page for Archive from Australia; and Neeraj Ghaywan for Fly Away Solo from India.

    The awards were presented at a private ceremony at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. by Mumbai Mantra chairman Rohit Khattar, Feature Film Program, Sundance Institute founding director Michelle Satter, and International Sundance Institute Feature Film Program director Paul Federbush.

    Ecstatic about the honour Neeraj Ghaywan posted on Facebook, “I kept this a secret for a long time but now it’s out. I am at Sundance film festival in Utah. I just got awarded the Global Filmmaker award by Mahindra Sundance. This is for my first feature film Fly Away Solo (Ud Jaayega). This is for us Varun Grover!! Thank you Anurag Kashyap, Dipa De Motwane, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vikas Bahl, Madhu Mantena,Guneet Monga, Aparna Purohit, Avinash Arun, Utpal Pathak, Abhay Tripathi in helping me get to this point. Special thanks to a lot of the cast and crew, who I can’t mention here as of now.”

    Now in its fourth year, the Sundance Institute, Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award is part of a multifaceted collaboration that exemplifies a commitment to and support of world cinema by the Mahindra Group, one of the largest industrial conglomerates in India known throughout the world for its dedication to excellence and to social responsibility, and the nonprofit Sundance Institute, one of the world’s leading cultural organizations.

    The partnership, which also includes the establishment of the Mumbai Mantra, Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab in India, began in 2011. The Screenwriters Lab will announce the selection for its third edition in March. The lab brings together eight Indian screenwriters from across the world to develop their works under the guidance of accomplished international screenwriters in an environment that encourages storytelling at the highest level.
    Each of the four winning filmmakers will receive a cash award of $10,000, attendance at the Sundance Film Festival for targeted industry and creative meetings, year-round mentoring from Institute staff and creative advisors, eligibility to participate in a Sundance Institute Lab, and ongoing creative and strategic support from Sundance Institute’s renowned Feature Film Program.

    “Sundance Institute shares with Mahindra Group a joint global commitment to nurturing new artists,” said Sundance Institute President and Founder Robert Redford.  “India is one of the most extraordinary cultures in the world, with the support of Anand Mahindra and his group, Sundance Institute screenwriters’ lab can support the next generation of their storytellers.”

    “At a time when there is no dearth of issues around the world that are crying out to be heard, the Global Filmmaking award recognizes independent film-makers who give expression to those voices. The Mahindra Group is proud to assist the Sundance Institute in this endeavour, which, in line with the Group’s ‘Rise’ philosophy, aims to drive a positive change in communities across the world,” said Mahindra Group chairman & managing director Anand Mahindra.

     

  • Satyajit Ray Foundation picks six films for short film competition

    Satyajit Ray Foundation picks six films for short film competition

    MUMBAI: The Satyajit Ray Foundation has shortlisted six films that would be screened at the Foundation‘s short film competition.

    Satyajit Ray Foundation‘s short film competition is held in association with London Indian Film Festival.

    Prominent among the films are Neeraj Ghaywan‘s Shor that earlier won the ‘Best Short Film‘ award at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) and South Asian International Film Festival (SAIF), and Raju, which was nominated for this year‘s Academy Awards.

    The other shortlisted films are Ayesha (UK), Khaleel Khan Ke Faakhtey (India), Maya, and Unravel (both UK).

    The shortlisted films will screen on 27 June at the London Indian Film Festival while the winning film would be announced on the closing night ceremony of the festival on 3 July.