Hindi
Extravagant India awards in Paris was nothing short of extravagant
NEW DELHI: Lunch Box by Ritesh Batra, which missed the Indian selection to the Oscars by a whisker, was voted the best film at the Extravagant India awards in Paris.
Path-breaking filmmaker Anurag Kashyap received the best director award for his film Ugly, which is also being featured in a retrospective of his films in Europe as part of the Europalia.India Festival.
The late Rituparno Ghosh, who passed away earlier this year, was named best actor for his own film Chitrangada.
Actress Vidya Balan received the best actress award for The Dirty Picture by Milan Luthria and Kahaani by Sujoy Ghosh.
The Festival was held from 16 to 22 October in Paris. The jury for the feature films comprised Coline Serreau (director and President of the jury), Armand Amar (composer), Joël Farges (producer).
The best documentary award went to Children of the Pyre by Rajesh S Jala while the renowned Pan Nalin’s film Faith Connection got a special jury mention.
The Jury for documentaries comprised Euzhan Palcy (director and President of the jury), Charlotte Uzu (Les Fims d’ici), and Claude Gilaizeau (Productions de la Lanterne).
The film Allah is Great by Andrea Iannetta, which was produced by the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, won the Best Short film award.
The Jury for short films was Jean-Charles Mille (distribution Premium Films – President of the jury), Abel Jafry (actor), and Benoit Blanchard (producer).
The Feature Jury president Coline Serreau said: “The selection was fascinating, rich and diverse. We plunged into the movies with delight, and with the feeling to approach and to discover this boiling continent, in which all the contradictions of the world in future are at work.”
He added: “I hope that the Indian cinema will take from now on its just place in the French public. Long life to this festival, whose 2014 edition, I would love to already know.”
Euzhan Palcy said: “This first edition of the Festival offered us an Indian cinema of a high quality and which participates of the cultural diversity which the world needs. By supporting this festival, France will continue to play its leader’s role for the cultural diversity.”
Happiness Distribution is distributing Batra’s film in France on 13 December, while Kashyap’s film will be released in France in March 2014.
Sophie Dulac Distribution will distribute Faith Connection by Pal Nalin under the title Kumbh Mela, Les chemins de la Foi.
The Indian Delegation comprised Irrfan Khan (actor in Lunchbox), Prakash Jha (director of Raajneeti), Sujoy Gosh (director of Kahaani), Rajesh S. Jala (director of Children of the Pyre, Andrea Ianneta (director of Allah is Great), Film Federation of India President Bijay Khemka and Secretary General Supran Sen, Manoj Srivastava who is Head of Bollywood the film City project Marwan, Ranvir Nayar who is Director of Media India, Sutapa Sikdar (scriptwriter), and Ramesh Tekwani, President of “Docs & Shorts”.
Hindi
Rajesh Ramaswamy exits The Script Room to focus on filmmaking journey
Ad filmmaker steps away from own venture to pursue direction and storytelling
MUMBAI: In a move that has caught the attention of the advertising and creative community, Rajesh Ramaswamy has announced his exit from The Script Room, the company he co-founded, marking the end of a seven-year stint at the helm.
The decision, which came into effect earlier this month, signals a shift in focus for Ramaswamy, who is now looking to immerse himself fully in filmmaking and direction as an independent creative.
Known for blending sharp advertising insight with storytelling craft, Ramaswamy has been instrumental in shaping The Script Room into a creative hub that delivered campaigns, branded content, and original storytelling formats. Over the years, the company collaborated with agencies, directors, and a wide network of writers, while also experimenting with formats such as short films and web series.
Sharing his thoughts on the transition, Ramaswamy indicated that the move is driven by a desire to focus and explore stories he has been developing over time. While he acknowledged the unconventional nature of stepping away from one’s own venture, he also framed it as a necessary leap toward clarity and creative pursuit.
Importantly, The Script Room will continue its operations with its current team and leadership, with Ramaswamy expressing confidence in the group that helped build the company’s identity. The studio, he noted, remains well-positioned to evolve further with fresh talent and ideas.
His exit also reflects a wider industry trend, where experienced advertising professionals are increasingly transitioning into independent filmmaking, tapping into the growing opportunities across digital and long-form content platforms.
As Ramaswamy steps into this new phase, the move underscores a familiar creative instinct, sometimes, the boldest ideas begin with a clean break.
