Awards
Oscar eludes Lagaan; but benefits Star Movies
Lagaan may have lost to No Man’s Land at the 75th Academy Awards, but Star Movies certainly reaped the benefits of the frenzy that accompanied the nomination.
The nomination of an Indian film, a rare event in itself, ensured high ratings for the telecast of the Oscars ceremony, for which the channel secured telecast rights earlier this year. Average Indian viewers, who would normally not have bothered to tune in to the Oscars on a manic Monday morning, switched on with their own prayer while waiting for the Best Foreign Film category to be announced. Although the cameras did not train on the film’s producer Aamir Khan (attired in an Anand Jon or a Shahab Durazi outfit, finally?) or director Ashutosh Gowariker, viewers got a glimpse of the latter when No Man’s Land director Danis Tanovic got up to receive the award.
Khan was gracious enough to tell his team that Lagaan lost out to an equally good, if not better film.
So, even as India consoles itself with the fact that it could at least make it to the nomination stage, Star Movies is one beneficiary that raked in the rewards, with or without an Oscar for India. The ratings should tell.
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.
