GECs
Sony creative head Saurabh Vanzara quits
MUMBAI: It’s time for some goodbyes at Sony. Creative head Saurabh M Vanzara has called it quits. He put in his papers about a week ago and is currently on a holiday, while serving his notice period.
Vanzara has been with Sony for over seven and half years. His career credits include Heena, Saaya, Hum Sab Ek Hai, and Devi. He was also on of the key members to get Sony’s much talked about show Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin on board.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com Vanzara offered, “I needed to move on. I had been working as a director before Sony came along. I will now go back to directing. I am already working on couple of scripts and am in talks with a few people from the industry.”
Vanzara joined Sony in August 1996 as a creative head. He was in charge of developing new shows and monitoring on-air shows like Heena, Saaya, Hum Sab Ek Hai, Aahat and Bhanwar till July 2000.
“I would say that 2000-2001 was by and large the most memorable and challenging period during my stint at Sony. It was the time when Hum Sab Ek Hai, Saaya and it’s likes were launched. But since the past one and half years, one feels that there hasn’t been much freedom to do anything” he reminisced.
One of the key person, who handled projects like Jassi… right from the conceptual stages till January 2004, Vanzara has been hands on with many projects like Devi till recently. “In the past four five months the channel has undergone quite a few changes. And different looks means different outlook, so I thought I needed to change,” he says.
Vanzara holds a Diploma in Cinema (Film direction specialisation) from FTII (Film and Television Institute of India) Pune. During his stint as a director, he produced and directed a short film With Little Rhyme And No Reason, which won critical acclaim at 13 international film festivals, including Oberhaussen Film Festival, Germany. He has also worked on two Hindi films and one Canadian film as an assistant director.
From July 2000 to October 2001 he was appointed as creative head feature film production with SET Pictures, a subsidiary of SET India. Later in November 2000, he moved back to television as the creative head and has been holding the same portfolio ever since.
At SET, he has also directed various in-house projects like short fiction films, multi camera coverages of live events and studio-based shows, documentaries and various stand-alone programmes.
GECs
Vikram and Ajinkya Gandhe win Masterchef India season finale
Chef Sanjeev Kapoor joins judges for emotional MasterChef finale
MUMBAI: The latest season of MasterChef India concluded on a high note, with brothers Vikram Gandhe and Ajinkya Gandhe crowned winners in the grand finale aired on Sony Entertainment Television.
The duo from Nagpur lifted the coveted trophy and donned the show’s signature golden apron after a season that celebrated India’s diverse culinary traditions under the theme “Pride of India”.
This edition of the popular cooking reality show introduced a new jodi format, with 50 pairs from across the country competing in the Masterchef kitchen. Contestants brought personal stories, regional flavours and family bonds to the competition.
The grand finale featured the final three pairs: Vikram and Ajinkya Gandhe (brothers), Saisree and Chanda (mother and daughter), and Anju and Manju (sisters).
The finale was attended by celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who joined the show’s judging panel comprising Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar and Kunal Kapur.
Kapoor said the show has long served as a platform to celebrate India’s rich culinary heritage and provide passionate home cooks with a national stage. He noted that the current season reflected a confident India that takes pride in its roots while embracing new culinary ideas.
Judge Vikas Khanna said the contestants’ journeys and the memories created during the season would remain with the team long after the show’s conclusion. Ranveer Brar described the show as a family that continues to grow with every season, while Kunal Kapur praised the contestants’ creativity and determination.
With the finale now concluded, the latest season of MasterChef India once again highlighted how food can reflect identity, heritage and storytelling, inspiring home cooks across the country to pursue their culinary ambitions.
