Our Vision

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is a multifaceted talent and one of the world's most well-known personalities. She has received numerous awards as an actor and producer, appearing in over sixty international and Hollywood films, and became a New York Times Best Selling Author with her memoir "Unfinished." She'll next be seen in the Russo Brothers' Prime Video series "Citadel" (Spring 2023), in which she co-stars with Richard Madden. Following that, she co-stars with Sam Heughan and Celine Dion in "Love Again," which will be released on May 12, 2023. Chopra Jonas most recently appeared in Netflix's Academy Award-nominated film "The White Tiger," which she also executive produced.

Chopra Jonas has signed a First Look deal with Amazon Studios under her production banner Purple Pebble Pictures, where she will develop a schedule of global features and TV content for the streaming service. Purple Pebble Pictures is also working with ViacomCBS to create original content for its entertainment and youth channels that focuses on diversity and inclusion. Chopra Jonas is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and serves on the Actors Branch Executive Committee. She is also a member of the Producers Guild of America.

Chopra Jonas appeared on the cover of Time magazine's "Time 100" issue, where she was named one of the world's "Most Influential People," and has been named one of Forbes' "Most Powerful Women." In 2016, she was also awarded the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honours. Chopra Jonas is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador from around the world and the recipient of the prestigious Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award. She is also a Global Citizen ambassador and is involved in a variety of initiatives to protect children's rights and promote girls' education around the world.

She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Nick, their daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas, and their three dogs, Diana, Gino, and Panda.

Isha Ambani is part of the executive leadership teams at Reliance Retail, Reliance Jio, Reliance Foundation, and Dhirubhai Ambani International School.

She played a pivotal role in conceptualising and launching Jio in India in 2016. A game-changer in the Indian telecom and digital landscape, Jio is the world’s largest mobile data network.

Isha leads the online and offline business for Reliance Retail which is India's largest retailer by revenue, profits, reach and scale with presence in grocery, consumer electronics and fashion retail. Under her leadership Reliance Retail has attained the distinction of being the fastest-growing retailer in the world in 2019 and being the only Indian retailer in the list of global top 100 retailers.

Isha is actively involved in spearheading the work done by Reliance Foundation. An art enthusiast, she leads the art and culture initiatives undertaken by Reliance Foundation in India and internationally. She is passionate about education and anchors the Reliance Foundation’s work with children and women. She also leads the Diversity and Inclusion programme at RIL.

Isha graduated from Yale University in 2013 with a double major in Psychology and South Asian Studies and completed her MBA from Stanford University in 2018.

Nita Ambani is an educationist, philanthropist, businesswoman and a noted proponent of sports. Nita is the Founder Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, which has impacted the lives of over seven million people. She provides leadership to 14 schools and is the Founder Chairperson of Dhirubhai Ambani International School, India’s No. 1 International School. She heads the Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, a state-of-the-art multi-speciality hospital in Mumbai.

Nita is the architect of Mumbai Indians, which won the IPL trophy in 2013 and 2015 and the Champions League T20 trophy in 2011 and 2013. She is the Founder Chairperson of Football Sports Development Limited that launched the ISL, revolutionising football in India. In August 2016, she was elected as a Member of the International Olympic Committee, becoming the first Indian woman to join this prestigious body.

Nita is committed to promoting India’s art, culture and heritage. Reliance Foundation sponsored the ‘Gates of the Lord’ exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago and partnered with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, to showcase the works of Nasreen Mohamedi.

She is on the Boards of Reliance Industries Ltd and East India Hotels. Forbes lists her amongst the 50 most powerful businesswomen in Asia .

www.reliancefoundation.org

Ajay Bijli is the Managing Director of PVR INOX Limited, the largest and the most premium cinema exhibitor in India and the fifth largest listed multiplex chain globally. As the Founder of PVR Cinemas, Ajay transformed the way millions of Indians watch movies for over two and a half decades exposing Indian viewers to world-class movie viewing experience. This led to the beginning of the growth of the out-of-home entertainment sector with movie going in multiplexes playing an integral role.

A visionary and thought leader in the film exhibition industry, Ajay Bijli is spearheading the multiplex industry growth in an under-screened market for the world’s largest film producing nation. He had the honour of delivering the keynote address at CinemaCon 2023, the largest event for the worldwide motion picture theatre industry representing the entire film industry in India, the first official in an 11-year history.

Recognized for his contribution to the cinema exhibition sectoral growth, in addition to his recent accolades, Ajay Bijli has received prestigious awards, including the E&Y Entrepreneurial Award for Business Transformation in 2013, Most Admired Multiplex Professional by CMO Asia's Multiplex Excellence Award in 2014, Asia Innovator of the Year at India Business Leader awards in 2016 by CNBC TV18, International Exhibitor of the Year award at Cine Asia in 2017 and was named one of the '100 Retail ICONS of INDIA' by Images Retail in 2019.

Anand G. Mahindra is Chairman of the Mahindra Group, one of India’s top industrial houses with a presence in varied sectors such as agri-business and aerospace. He secured an MBA degree from the Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts in 1981. In 1991, he took over as Deputy Managing Director of Mahindra & Mahindra and was later appointed as Chairman and Managing Director. He was listed in Fortune’s list of The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders in 20 14. At last year ET’s awards, Mahindra & Mahindra was awarded corporate citizen of the year for its corporate social responsibility initiatives like Project Nanhi Kali, which aims to keep girls from poor families in school.

Anjali Menon is an established writer and director who has won a place in the hearts of Indian audience with her Malayalam films. An alumna of the London Film School, her work has received commercial success as well as critical acclaim among the youth as well as family audiences. A reverse migrant to India, Anjali’s works reflect themes of the migrant experience, family, gender equations and cross-cultural interactions. Anjali’s work straddles artistic cinema and popular genres.

An accomplished and award-winning producer-director-writer-actor-singer, Farhan Akhtar is the ultimate Bollywood multi-hyphenate. Born in 1974 to prolific Indian film writer and poet, Javed Akhtar and writer-director, Honey Irani, Farhan was raised in an environment where creativity and originality of thought were encouraged. This has made him a maverick whose films reflect refreshingly new content that easily strikes a chord with filmgoers.

In 1999, Farhan collaborated with Ritesh Sidhwani, a friend who shared his passion for good cinema, to form Excel Entertainment, a production banner that has become synonymous with excellence in filmmaking.

Debuting at the age of 26, as a writer, director, and producer with 'Dil Chahta Hai' (2001), a coming-of-age film that has gained cult status, Farhan came to be lauded for his honest, path-breaking writing and his ability to extract mature performances from his cast. The film won Farhan his first National Award for 'Best Hindi Feature Film' along with Filmfare awards for 'Best Feature Film - Critics Choice' and 'Best Screenplay’. Almost two decades later, this film continues to influence a generation of filmmakers.

Seven years after his dream debut as a writer-director, Farhan debuted as an actor-singer in 'Rock On!!’ Yet another runaway success, the film secured him a second National Award for 'Best Hindi Feature Film' and a Filmfare award for 'Best Debut Performance’. The dream run continued with ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, which released in 2011 to much popular and critical acclaim, winning him three Filmfare awards for 'Best Film', 'Best Actor in a supporting role' and 'Best Dialogue'.

His next, a biopic on Indian athlete Milkha Singh, popularly known as ‘the Flying Sikh’, was entitled ’Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.’ He essayed the role with such integrity that it set the standard for other actors considering to play titular protagonists in biopics. Deservingly, Farhan swept all awards that year for ‘Best Actor’ as did the film for ‘Best Film’. It also claimed the National award for ‘Best Popular Film providing Wholesome Entertainment.’

Moreover, Farhan’s emotional and stirring film ‘The Sky Is Pink’ premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and received a 15-minute standing ovation from the audience at the Roy Thomson Hall.

Farhan’s latest ‘Toofaan’ released on Amazon Prime Video in 2021, he played the role of a boxer returning to the sport after a hiatus. Farhan has added another feather to his cap by becoming the first mainstream leading actor from India to play a special guest star role in the recent Ms. Marvel series streaming on Disney+. He essays the role of Waleed in the American television miniseries, the leader of the Red Daggers, which is a group of vigilantes sporting red bandanas and wielding throwing knives.

In addition to his contribution to Indian cinema, Farhan has initiated and supported a plethora of social causes. In 2012, he founded MARD (Men against Rape & Discrimination), an initiative that raises awareness about gender-related issues amongst the youth of India. Recognizing his sustained efforts, Farhan was made the first male UNwomen goodwill ambassador (South Asia) in 2014. Additionally, Farhan feeds his passion for music by writing, composing and performing live with his band FarhanLive. His English language debut album ‘Echoes’ released in March 2019 to critical acclaim.

He has 2 daughters and lives in Mumbai, India.

Kabir won the prestigious National Award (2006) for his first feature, Kabul Express which was shot entirely in Afghanistan. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival 2006 and was later screened at the London, Busan, Dubai, Singapore, Casablanca and Cairo Film Festivals. In Singapore, Kabir won the Best Director’s Award and the Purple Orchid trophy for Best Film. His second feature, New York (2009) was met with critical acclaim and box office success. It was the Opening Film at the Cairo International Film Festival 2009 and was also screened at the Busan International Film Festival 2009 and the Krakow Film Festival 2010, Poland. Since then he has made Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Phantom (2015), Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and Tubelight (2017). Ek Tha Tiger and Bajrangi Bhaijaan are some of the biggest blockbusters in Indian cinema. Kabir won his second National Award (2015) for Bajrangi Bhaijaan. His documentary, The Forgotten Army won the Grand Jury award at Film South Asia 2000 and Two Assassinations and An Accident was given the Best National Film Award jointly with another film of his, Mechanics of Change at the Mumbai International Film Festival – 2002. He was also awarded the National Critics Award.

A major international documentary shot in Afghanistan, The Taliban Years and Beyond premiered at the Cork International Film Festival (2003) and was telecast on major networks across the world including the Discovery Channel. The Titanic Sinks in Kabul was selected at the prestigious 5th FICA Film Festival in Brazil, International Sasa Award 2003 – Italy, and the FIKE-2003 Evora Short Film Festival, Portugal. His photographs have won international photography awards at the 50th anniversary of the Geneva Convention in Switzerland in 1999 and the Nikon International Photo of the Year in 2003. Kabir Khan’s documentary/film assignments have taken him to over 70 countries.

Kaustubh Dhavse is Joint Secretary in the Government of Maharashtra designated as Officer on Special Duty to the Deputy Chief Minister, Govt. Of Maharashtra. In this role he drives Policy, Investments, Technology and Infrastructure in the state via various programs and Special Projects.

Kaustubh is also the Deputy Director General of the Chief Minister’s War room, unit under the CM to monitor and drive key projects in Maharashtra. From 2014-2019, Kaustubh worked as a JS and OSD to Hon. CM. During his stint in the CMO, Kaustubh led the CM War Room under which 1.8 lakh crore worth of projects were put into execution in record time. He also helped set up the State IT corporation for speeding up large State IT project execution.

Prior to joining the Government, Kaustubh had a successful stint in the corporate world where he worked with large Multinational companies.

Kaustubh is an Electronics Engineer from D.J Sanghvi College of Engineering, Mumbai University. He has a PGDM from SP Jain Institute of Management Studies and was on the Dean's Merit list and a graduating valedictorian. He also has a Public Policy Degree from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Rana Daggubati is a National award-winning filmmaker, and a successful actor in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi (Indian) films. Rana Daggubati made a sensational debut winning accolades such as Filmfare and Zee Cine Awards for Best Male Debut in Telugu and Hindi simultaneously for playing the lead in the political thriller ‘Leader’ and the crime thriller ‘Dum Maaro Dum’ in 2010.

Having inherited the passion for cinema from his family - Suresh Productions got established in 1964, have produced over 170 films in 13 Indian languages, run a film distribution company with 400+ theaters, have 3 large studio spaces in Hyderabad & Vizag and a Film School in Hyderabad.

As an independent producer Rana’s first film "A Belly Full of Dreams," at the age of 20 which received two National Awards for best picture and best child actor. His company Spirit Media is currently working with all the leading platforms and Studios for new projects. In addition to Producing Content, Rana has become synonymous with presenting top-quality content and always at the front row to encourage good content. He has presented Care of Kancharapalem, Charlie 777, and Pareshan.

Rana has always been looking for technological breakthroughs, supporting innovation in storytelling, and finding cool marketing solutions. His entrepreneurial spirit compelled him to invest in tech companies like ‘Gamezop’ - a game development studio, ‘Iknoz club’ - A metaverse company for established Indian films & pop-culture IP’s. He set up a Media- Tech accelerator ‘Anthill Studio’ with a venture capital firm Anthill venture which became the base for unique media-tech startups.

Rana also launched ‘SouthBay’ a pop-culture marketplace that is driven by setting new narratives in cinema, showbiz, music as well as Marketing. He also owns a large part of ‘Amar Chitra Katha’ which is a legacy publication company for all types of Indian and mythological stories. Among many other investments he also holds equity in the ‘Hyderabad Football Club’ from the Indian Super League.

Riteish Deshmukh debuted as an actor in 2003 with Tujhe Meri Kasam and has since starred in a diverse array of films such as Bluffmaster (2005), Darna Zaroori Hai (2006), Rann (2010), Housefull (2010), and Ek Villain (2014). He has also ventured into film production with Ravi Jadhav’s Balak Palak (2013), Lai Bhaari (2014), and Mahesh Limaye’s Yellow (2014), which are among the most acclaimed films of recent times.

Rohan Sippy is a director and producer based in Mumbai. He is best known for directing Bluffmaster (2005), Dum Maaro Dum (2011), and Nautanki Saala (2013). As a producer, his credits include Taxi No. 9211 (2006) and The President Is Coming (2009). Most recently, he was a creator and the showrunner of the highly acclaimed Netflix series, Aranyak (2021).

Shivendra Singh Dungarpur is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, film archivist and restorer. He began his career as an assistant director to his mentor, writer-lyricist and director Gulzar on whose advice he subsequently studied film direction and scriptwriting at the Film & Television Institute of India (FTII).

He established Dungarpur Films in 2001 under which banner he has produced and directed close to 1000 commercials and several documentaries and short films. Over the years, he has won innumerable awards for his work in advertising including five IDPA gold awards and three silver awards.

Shivendra has made a name for himself internationally as an acclaimed documentary filmmaker. In 2012, he made his first feature documentary “Celluloid Man” that won two National Awards and travelled to over fifty festivals around the world including Telluride, New York, Rotterdam, Hong Kong and Shanghai. His second documentary “The Immortals” (2015) premiered at the Busan International Film Festival and won the Special Jury Award for Best Film at the Mumbai International Film Festival. His third documentary titled “CzechMate – In Search of Jiri Menzel” is a seven-hour epic that is an in-depth exploration of the Czechoslovakian New Wave that has won critical acclaim from cinephiles around the world. British Film Institute and Sight & Sound Magazine voted the film amongst the top 5 releases of 2020.

Shivendra is passionately committed to film preservation and restoration. In response to the colossal loss of India’s film heritage and recognizing the urgent need to preserve it, he established Film Heritage Foundation (FHF), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring India’s moving image heritage, in 2014. FHF is the only non-governmental organization working in the field of film preservation in India. The foundation has a growing collection of films and film-related memorabilia, conducts world-class training workshops in film preservation, works on oral history projects and publishes books.

FHF has an advisory board that includes eminent members of the film industry. The foundation has built an international reputation for excellence and counts world-renowned filmmakers Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan amongst its supporters. FHF has recently collaborated with Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation and Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna on the restoration of Aravindan Govindan’s film “Kummatty” (1979). FHF’s restoration of Aravindan Govindan’s “Thamp” (1978) was selected for a red-carpet world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival 2022 and its most recent restoration of Aribam Syam Sharma’s Manipuri film “Ishanou” (1990) has been selected to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival 2023.

Film Heritage Foundation is a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) and Shivendra was elected to the FIAF Executive Committee for the fourth consecutive term in 2023. He is also a member of the Artistic Committee of the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna that includes amongst others Alexander Payne, Thelma Schoonmaker, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Aki Kaurismaki, Peter Becker and Kevin Brownlow. He is also a member of the Honorary Committee of the Nitrate Picture Show, George Eastman House’s Festival of Film Conservation.

Siddharth Roy Kapur's filmography as a producer includes some of the biggest blockbusters as well as some of the most acclaimed and path-breaking films of Indian cinema. He is the Managing Director of Roy Kapur Films, President of the Producers Guild of India and the former Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company India. He has been featured in Variety’s Top 500 list of influential people in entertainment in 2017 globally and The Hollywood Reporter’s Next Generation Asia Inaugural Class of Young Leaders, among numerous other accolades for his leadership and achievements.

Vikramaditya Motwane is an award-winning Indian writer, director and producer. His directorial debut Udaan was selected to compete in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ category at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Udaan also won 7 Filmfare Awards and the Screen Awards for Best Film and Best Director.

Vikramaditya has since directed Lootera, Trapped, Bhavesh Joshi Superhero and AK vs AK and is the showrunner and co-director of Sacred Games, Netflix’s first Indian original series.

He is an ex-partner at Phantom Films and has produced films like Queen, Ugly, NH10, Masaan and Udta Punjab. His most recent release, Jubilee, an epic period series for Amazon Prime, released to rave reviews in April 2023.

Vishal Bhardwaj is an Indian film director, writer, composer and producer. He has directed ten feature films, produced five and composed music for more than forty. His directorial work includes Makdee, The Blue Umbrella, Kaminey, 7 Khoon Maaf, Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola, Rangoon, Pataakha as well as the internationally acclaimed Shakespeare Trilogy - Maqbool, Omkara and Haider (adapted from Macbeth, Othello and Hamlet, respectively). In 2021 he also directed and received applaud for an episode of the Indian Adaptation of the critically acclaimed show, Modern Love: New York. He has received 3 international awards and 8 national film awards for his work and began his stage career in 2014 by directing A Flowering Tree in the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, and composing music for the Monsoon Wedding musical in Berkeley, California.

Moreover, Makdee has won the Best Film award at the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, Omkara has received the Best Artistic Contribution in Cinema award at the Cairo International Film Festival, and Haider has won the People’s Choice Award at Rome Film Festival. In 2018, Vishal published his first book of poems, Nude, a collection of 50 poems written over the past two decades. Most recently, Vishal won his 8th National Award for Music, for the documentary 1232 KMs, which showcased the hardships faced by migrant labourers during the COVID 19 Lockdown.

Five films, three short stories, two web series, an Emmy nomination, 6 Filmfare awards, IIFTC Tourism Impact Award, NETPAC Award and India's official entry to the Oscars outlines Zoya Akhtar's unique ability to create content that breaks the conventional norms and creates waves globally.

Filmmaker, and screenwriter Zoya Akhtar, graduated in literature and sociology from Mumbai University and followed it up with a diploma in film from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She has explored many verticals in her career graph from casting director to executive producer to assisting filmmakers such as Mira Nair, Tony Gerber, and Dev Benegal, before becoming a writer-director herself.

Zoya debuted with Luck by Chance (2009). Her released hybrid genres Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), Sheila Ki Jawani, a segment of Bombay Talkies (2013), Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), and internationally acclaimed Gully Boy (2019) have acquired cult status and received numerous global awards and accolades over the years.

Acclaimed series Made in Heaven Season 1 for Amazon Prime, an anthology of short films Ghost Stories, and the international Emmy-nominated Lust Stories for Netflix has extended her reach as a content creator internationally.

Zoya along with co-writer Reema Kagti has launched an independent film studio TIGER BABY in 2019. Besides penning the scripts for the mega ensemble Jee le Zara, they are producing Made in Heaven Season 2 and The Archies with Netflix to be released in 2023.

Anupama Chopra is a noted film critic, television anchor, and a National Award-winning book author. Her work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times and Los Angeles Times. She has hosted and scripted film shows on NDTV 24/7 and Star World. She is currently the Festival Director of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival and the founder and editor of Film Companion.