Awards
Reeves, Pirates.. honoured at World Stunt Awards
MUMBAI: It was a night of big bangs and louder than life explosions. The fourth edition of the Taurus World Stunt Awards took place at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles a few days ago.
In the US the event will air on Spike TV on 26 May. In India the show will air on AXN later in the year.
Keanu Reeves was given an award for action movie star for his work in The Matrix Reloaded. Jonathan Mostow received the action movie director of the year award for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, which has grossed over $400 million in worldwide box office receipts.
The best fight award went to Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The best work with a vehicle award went to Michael Bay’s Bad Boys II.
Interestingly a pyrotechnic stunt performed created a fireball far bigger than had been planned. The finale of the show resulted in the almost total destruction of the platform stage at Paramount. All those involved escaped unhurt. The audience saw co-host Carmen Electra pull a cigar from host Dennis Hopper, and throw it towards a pre-determined area where it was to ignite in a mock explosion.
Instead, the pyrotechnic explosion produced a huge ball of fire that produced heat that was felt in the first row of the crowd. The stunt thrilled the crowd, none of whom knew what they were seeing. A relatively ordinary stunt saw Brendan Fraser leapt off a 10-story building through a glass ceiling to present the award for best high work. The 1500 strong audience included California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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.
