Hindi
IFP rings in fifteen years of creativity and culture
MUMBAI: Fifteen and fabulous! India Film Project (IFP) is all set to celebrate its milestone 15th edition, returning to Mumbai’s iconic Mehboob Studios on 29 and 30 November for a weekend bursting with stories, art, and unfiltered creativity.
What started as a spark between a few passionate creators has now grown into the world’s largest festival celebrating creativity x culture, a global platform where filmmakers, writers, designers, musicians, and dreamers come together to create, collaborate and reimagine storytelling.
This year’s line-up is nothing short of stellar. The jury features cinematic heavyweights and creative icons including Dibakar Banerjee, Sheeba Chaddha, Hariharan, Bilal Siddiqi, Santhy Balachandran, Ravi Jadhav, Kanu Behl, Mukesh Chhabra, and Gajesh Mitkari, among others.
At the festival’s heart lie the 50 hour creative challenges, IFP’s signature event where imagination meets the ticking clock. From filmmaking and music to design, photography, writing, and performing arts, this year’s challenges drew over 40,000 participants from 350 cities across 23 countries, a testament to IFP’s ever-growing creative tribe.
Reflecting on the milestone, IFP founder Ritam Bhatnagar shared, “What began as a small dormitory idea is now one of the world’s biggest celebrations of creativity. Fifteen years later, IFP continues to be that space where creative people come together, experiment, and grow.”
For filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee, being part of the jury felt like coming full circle. “Storytelling thrives on curiosity, and that’s what IFP embodies. Fifteen years in, it still surprises and inspires.”
Echoing the sentiment, Sheeba Chaddha added, “There’s a rare joy in being part of IFP. It’s a space that lets artists express freely and evolve without boundaries.”
Over the years, IFP has hosted over 1.2 lakh creators, 1400 speakers, and creative legends like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mira Nair, Vicky Kaushal, and Javed Akhtar, proving that it’s not just a festival, but a movement.
This November, IFP once again promises two unforgettable days where every idea, big or small, finds its spotlight. So if creativity runs in your veins, Mehboob Studios is the place to be.
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.
