Awards
‘LOTR’ dominates eight annual DVD awards
MUMBAI: The winners of the eight edition of the DVD Entertainment Awards were announced a few days ago in the US.
The competition honours creators and marketers of digital video recordings. Selected by a blue-ribbon jury of technologists and journalists, the DVD Entertainment Awards are open to movie, music and game labels, distributors, producers and authoring houses vying for the coveted trophy in a wide variety of categories.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King special extended DVD edition got six awards. It with The Ultimate Matrix Collection for best of show and best blockbuster theatrical and also won awards for authouring design, video presentation, audio presentation and the Viewers’ Choice vote through the web site Grab.com. Additionally the comedy Elf won for best PC support.
During the ceremony, William Friedkin who directed The French Connection, The Exorcist was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
For the first time in any home entertainment competition, the DVD Awards included categories recognising excellence in DualDisc and in the Universal Media Disc (UMD) pioneered by Sony for its PlayStation Portable (PSP).
Also new for the 2005 DVD Awards was an opportunity for DVD producers not affiliated with Hollywood studios to enter their own categories to create a more level playing field. For Achievement in Technical Design awards – such as authoring, PC support, video and audio presentation – there is a new classification reserved for theatrical titles with up to $10 million in box office or non-theatrical product. Those titles will not compete directly against Hollywood movies with more than $10 million in box office grosses.
Dwelling on LOTR’s performance New Line Home Entertainment president and COO Stephen Einhorn says, “This is a great honor. It represents the very hard work of a great many people at New Line and we are proud of them. Clearly, the judges felt that Return of the King took the DVD experience to a whole new level.” DVD Entertainment Awards executive producer Bruce Apar said. “One judge noted that ‘no other DVD comes close —Hollywood is no longer in the business of making movies but is now in the business of making DVDs.’ “
The DVD Awards drew more than 220 entries in 31 categories. The ceremony was hosted by film critic Leonard Maltin and presented by the International Recording Media Assn. and CMP Entertainment Media.
Awards
Ajay Kakar to chair jury for ad:tech Honours Awards 2026
Industry leaders join jury as nominations surge for marketing tech awards
NEW DELHI: The ad:tech Honours Awards 2026 are gearing up for a bigger second edition, with Ajay Kakar, head of corporate branding at Adani Group, set to chair the jury for India’s technology-focused marketing awards.
Organised in partnership with the International Advertising Association India Chapter, the awards celebrate the growing influence of technology in shaping modern advertising and marketing outcomes. This year’s edition has drawn a strong response from across the industry, signalling rising momentum around innovation in marketing technology.
The organisers say the nominations reflect a wide range of ideas and approaches, highlighting how brands and agencies are increasingly leaning on platforms, tools and data to sharpen their campaigns and connect with audiences more effectively.
Leading the evaluation process, Kakar will head a jury made up of senior leaders from across brands, agencies and technology platforms.
The jury panel includes Amaresh Godbole, CEO, digital technology business at Publicis Groupe; Bishwajeet S, head of marketing and PR at Volkswagen India; Carol Goyal, executive director at Rediffusion and CEO of Aesthetic Intelligence Lab; Kushal Sanghvi, director at Komerz; Lara Balsara, executive director at Madison World; Rana Barua, group CEO India, sea and North Asia; Deepak Oram, senior vice president growth marketing and martech; and Priyanka Khaneja Gandhi, head of marketing and creative solutions at Amazon Ads India.
The ad:tech Honours Awards aim to recognise not just creative campaigns but the smart use of technology that delivers measurable impact and business results. Categories this year reflect the rapidly evolving digital landscape, covering areas such as artificial intelligence, data-driven marketing, content ecosystems, automation, martech and adtech integration, and commerce-led marketing.
The winners will be announced on 17 March 2026 at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in New Delhi during ad:tech New Delhi 2026. The event is expected to bring together leaders from brands, agencies, platforms, creators and technology partners for an evening celebrating the ideas and innovations shaping the future of marketing.iconductor industries.
