Hindi
Hansal Mehta is best director, Vikram repeats feat to become best actor in NYIFF
NEW DELHI: Hansal Mehta has won the best director award for Shahid at the 13th annual New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) while Anumati by Gajendra Ahire was declared the Best Film.
The veteran Vikram Gokhale received the best actor award for Anumati, the film which got him the same award at the National Film Awards earlier this month.
The veteran Deepti Naval was declared the Best Actress for Listen Amaya while Suraj Negi won the Best Child Actor for Hansa.
Dr. Biju won the Best Screenplay for Color of Sky.
The Only Real Game by Mirra Bank was declared the Best Documentary while Khaana by Cary Sawhney won the Best Short film.
Shahid is based on the life of slain human rights activist and lawyer Shahid Azmi. Anumati revolves around a retired teacher‘s attempt to save his dying wife.
Filmistaan by Nitin Kakkar, which had won the best Hindi film award at the National Film Awards on 3 May, was the closing film of the New York Festival. It stars Sharib Hashmi, Kumud Mishra, Gopal Datt, and Inaamulhaq. Dekh Tamasha Dekh which was also a winner at the National Film Awards opened the Festival. It is directed by Feroz Abbas Khan.and stars Satish Kaushik, Tanvi Azmi, Sudhir Pandey, Vinay Jain, Sharad Ponkshe, Ganesh Yadav, Apoorva Arora, and Alok Rajwade.
The Festival screened Uday Shankar‘s Kalpana made in 1948 to mark a centenary of Indian cinema, while the restored version of Garam Hawa by M S Sathyu was also screened.
The Festival had a section on mobile phone cinema, Human Rights cinema. There were separate sections of Bengali and Marathi films.
Presented by the Indo-American Arts Council, the annual festival was held from 30 April to 4 May. Other films included ‘Midnight‘s Children‘ and ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist‘ by Mira Nair.
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.
