GECs
ZIMA certifies first batch of ‘SMOKE’ students
Even as the next six batches are underway, Zee Institute of Media Arts (ZIMA) along with Autodesk Media and Entertainment certified its first batch of students trained on the Autodesk Discreet SMOKE system. A first of its kind in the industry, the SMOKE course was launched in October 2005 at ZIMA and has received tremendous feedback from the industry. The first batch consisted of five students who received their certificates from Autodesk Media and Entertainment, Montreal. SMOKE is Autodesk Media and Entertainment’s high-end online editing and finishing system and the ZIMA course is aimed at professionals currently employed with the TV and film industries and are looking to enhance their career prospects.
“It is extremely gratifying for Autodesk Media and Entertainment to witness the first batch of professionally trained SMOKE artists graduating from ZIMA. The feedback from the students has been extremely positive and the course has helped them to enhance their career prospects within the industry. I wish the students the best of luck in their future endeavours and hope that the knowledge that they have gained here, will help them to convert their creative ideas into reality.” – Mr. Pankaj Kedia Regional Manager, South East Asia & India Autodesk Media and Entertainment.
“The industry feedback to the course has been very encouraging. We started with a single batch of five students. The second round of enrollments includes six batches and a total of about 25 students. I believe that this is a clear indicator of the comprehensiveness of the course as well as the demand for skilled talent in the industry. The Autodesk Discreet Smoke is the industry standard in editing and therefore it greatly compliments our existing courses in editing and film technologies.” – Mr. S Mukundan, Sr. Vice President (Products), Zee Interactive Learning Systems.
GECs
Sony ties up with EU for MasterChef India finale
GI-tagged European ingredients headline finale week
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has struck what it calls a landmark association with the European Union for the finale week of MasterChef India, marking the first such collaboration between the bloc and an Indian television format.
The tie-up will culminate in the “European Union mystery box challenge”, which opens the much-anticipated finale week. The task will see the top six contestant pairs cook with a curated basket of ingredients bearing geographical indications (GIs) from across EU member states: a nod to provenance as well as palate.
Chef Ajay and Chef Guntas, introduced as chef ambassadors to the European Union, will present the mystery boxes and set the brief: use the fewest ingredients from each category and produce a MasterChef-level dish that marries European produce with Indian flavour sensibilities. Precision and restraint, rather than extravagance, will be tested.
For Sony, the move signals a push towards high-value integrations that blur the line between sponsorship and storytelling. The network said the association underscores the show’s growing global stature and its ability to attract world-renowned institutions to Indian screens.
Chef Ajay Chopra, food ambassador in the European Union, described the collaboration as a strategic opportunity to spotlight the heritage and authenticity of GI-tagged European products to India’s vast food-loving audience.
Over the years, MasterChef India has positioned itself as a gateway to global cuisines. The EU partnership sharpens that pitch, turning the finale into a stage for cross-continental culinary diplomacy.
The finale week will air from 2 March, 2026 at 8 pm on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony Liv.
