Hindi
Ayushmann Khurrana named brand ambassador for 25 Ficci Frames
MUMBAI: Lights, camera, celebration! As Ficci Frames gears up for its 25 anniversary, Indian cinema superstar Ayushmann Khurrana has been announced as the brand ambassador for the event, becoming the face of India’s media & entertainment industry. This silver jubilee edition promises to combine star power, disruptive innovation, and global relevance, making it a landmark occasion for India’s thriving creative landscape.
This year’s theme, “RISE: Redefining Innovation, Sustainability, and Excellence,” reflects Ficci Frames’ transformative role in shaping the narratives, creativity, and evolution of India’s media and entertainment industry. Over 25 years, the event has emerged as the premier platform for industry collaboration, bringing together global leaders, policymakers, and creative talents to discuss the future of entertainment.
Expressing his excitement, Ficci Media chair & entertainment committee and Jiostar CEO- entertainment, Kevin Vaz said, “The silver jubilee edition of Ficci Frames is a celebration of 25 years of excellence and a tribute to the legacy we have built in shaping India’s Media & Entertainment industry. Ayushmann Khurrana, with his incredible journey of creativity, innovation, and connection with audiences, represents the very ethos of Ficci Frames. His association will elevate this milestone event and inspire future generations of storytellers and creators.”
Sharing his thoughts on being the first brand ambassador for Ficci Frames, Khurrana said, “It is a huge honour for me to be announced as the first Brand Ambassador for Ficci Frames in its silver jubilee year! As someone who arrived in Mumbai from Chandigarh with nothing but dreams in my eyes, I could never have imagined this incredible journey, one where my work has not only touched lives but also become a part of India’s rich pop culture tapestry. In my new role, I am committed to working closely with the exceptional Ficci team to champion disruption, celebrate innovation, and highlight the excellence our industry consistently delivers.”
Ficci Frames has long been a beacon of leadership in India’s creative ecosystem. Previously chaired by Yash Chopra and co-chaired by Karan Johar, the event is now led by Kevin Vaz, alongside co-chairs Meta India VP & MD Sandhya Devanathan, and Warner Bros. Discovery GM, south Asia Arjun Nohwar.
Notable global icons, such as Hugh Jackman, James Murdoch, and Mukesh Ambani, have graced the Ficci Frames stage in the past. Indian cinema legends like Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Amitabh Bachchan have also contributed to its star-studded history.
Held annually in Mumbai, the silver jubilee event promises to dive into cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, digital content creation, and the metaverse, while continuing to highlight traditional media. The programme will feature keynote addresses, B2B meetings, masterclasses, policy roundtables, and the Best Animated Frames Awards (BAF).
With Khurrana leading the charge, this year’s Ficci Frames is set to redefine the boundaries of media and entertainment innovation, paving the way for the next 25 years of creative excellence.
Hindi
Remembering Gyan Sahay, the lens behind film, television and advertising
From a puppet rabbit selling poppadums to Hindi cinema, he framed it all.
MUMBAI: There are careers, and then there are canvases. Gyan Sahay, the veteran cinematographer, director, and producer who passed away on 10 March 2026 in Mumbai, had one of the latter. Over several decades in the Indian film and television industry, he turned lenses, lights, and the occasional puppet rabbit into something approaching art.
A graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, Sahay built his reputation as a director of photography across a career that stretched from the early 1970s all the way to the digital age. He was the kind of craftsman who understood that a well-composed shot is not merely a technical achievement but a quiet act of storytelling.
For most Indians of a certain age, however, Sahay will forever be the man behind the rabbit. His direction of the iconic long-running television commercial for Lijjat Papad, featuring its now-legendary puppet bunny, gave the country one of its most cheerfully persistent advertising images. It was the sort of work that sneaks into the national subconscious and takes up permanent residence.
His big-screen credits as cinematographer include Anokhi Pehchan (1972), Pagli (1974), Pas de Deux (1981), and Hum Farishte Nahin (1988). In 1999, he stepped behind a different kind of camera altogether, making his directorial debut with Sar Ankhon Par, a drama that featured Vikas Bhalla and Shruti Ulfat, with a cameo by Shah Rukh Khan for good measure.
On television, Sahay was particularly prized for his command of multi-camera production setups, a skill that made him a go-to technician for large-scale shows and reality programmes. In an industry that has never been especially patient with complexity, he was the calm hand on the rig.
In later life, Sahay turned teacher. He participated regularly in masterclasses and Digi-Talks, often hosted by organisations such as Bharatiya Chitra Sadhna, sharing hard-won wisdom on cinematography, the comedy of timing in a shot, and the sweeping changes brought by the shift from celluloid to digital. He was also said to have been involved in a project concerning a biographical film on Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy.
Tributes from the film industry poured in following the news of his passing, with colleagues remembering him as a senior cameraman who served as a rare bridge between two entirely different eras of Indian cinema. That is, perhaps, the finest thing one can say of any craftsman: he kept up, and he brought others along with him.
