Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Namit Malhotra on Dune winning his company an Oscar in Best Visual Effects category

Namit Malhotra on Dune winning his company an Oscar in Best Visual Effects category

Namit Malhotra, the CEO of London-headquartered visual effects (VFX) major DNEG, believes the world of cinema has been divided into before and after Dune, the Hollywood thriller which bagged his company an Oscar.

The film, which won DNEG its seventh Oscar in the Best Visual Effects category at last week's ceremony in Los Angeles, was one of two films in the race for the successful VFX team. The James Bond box-office hit No Time To Die was also in the race in the same category – a first for a Bond film in many years.


I have been talking about how there is a pre-Dune and a post-Dune world in the VFX space, simply because of what we were able to achieve,” Malhotra told PTI.

I have never felt so strongly about the art form and the seamlessness of what we have been able to deliver, it is mind-blowing. When you watch Dune, you are left astonished by the sheer seamless, integrated experience it has to offer,” he said.

With reference to the other major success story of the year, Malhotra confesses to being an avid James Bond fan himself since boyhood.

For the first time, after four-five decades, we are seeing a James Bond film nominated for the VFX category at the Oscars. To get into the line to get the nomination is very, very hard. That is a big step forward,” said the industry expert.

The son of film producer Naresh Malhotra and grandson of cinematographer N M Malhotra, Namit represents the third generation of a Bollywood filmmaking family. His dream of becoming a film director took him towards a computer graphics course and resulted in him recruiting three of his teachers as co-founders of Video Workshop, an editing studio in his father's garage in Mumbai.

From a merger with his father's film equipment business to create Prime Focus and then acquiring UK-based Double Negative, the 45-year-old film special effects pioneer views his journey to the awards red carpet as a sign of India's digital prowess.

India's digital prowess has been acknowledged far and beyond the projects that have been going on since over a decade. DNEG does help validate the creative talent pool and how technological advances can be used to create a collaborative effort while creating quality content on a global scale,” said Malhotra.

I started my professional career out of a garage in Mumbai back in 1995 when computers were not that advanced. From such humble beginnings to leading a global conglomerate, I am incredibly grateful to my father for his faith in me,” he said.

Besides winning Oscars for Inception in 2011, Interstellar in 2015, and Tenet in 2021 – all Christopher Nolan films – DNEG has bagged Academy Awards for Ex Machina (2016), Blade Runner 2049 (2018), Fifth Man (2019), and now Dune to make up the company's impressive Hollywood tally.

While we continue to push the creative envelope, there are a plethora of projects our teams are working on, closely with creators to bring an immersive cinematic experience for the audience which includes The Last Of Us, The Flash, Aquaman 2, and many more,” added Malhotra.

More For You

Will Smith’s shout-out to Diljit Dosanjh sparks viral collaboration buzz

Will Smith’s comment on Diljit Dosanjh’s latest song sparks excitement among fans

Instagram/diljitdosanjh

Will Smith’s shout-out to Diljit Dosanjh sparks viral collaboration buzz

When Hollywood superstar Will Smith drops a comment on your Instagram post, you know something big is brewing. That’s exactly what happened when Diljit Dosanjh, the Punjabi music sensation, shared a snippet of his latest track, Tension, on social media. Smith, known for his iconic roles and global influence, left a simple yet impactful comment: “Fire!.” Diljit, clearly thrilled, responded with, “@willsmith BIG BROTHER 🦾.”

This brief exchange sent fans into a frenzy, with many speculating if a collaboration between the two stars is on the horizon. One fan wrote, “This is BIG!,” while another chimed in, “Hopefully, there are plans for you two to work together!”

Will Smith drops a "Fire!" comment on Diljit Dosanjh’s post, fuelling collaboration rumoursInstagram/diljitdosanjh

Keep ReadingShow less
Police halt Ed Sheeran’s street performance

Sheeran, who began his career as a busker in the UK, said later on his Instagram account that he did have permission to perform.

Police halt Ed Sheeran’s street performance in Bengaluru

A STREET performance by Ed Sheeran in Bengaluru was stopped abruptly by police last Sunday (9), outraging fans and prompting the British singer to issue a clarification.

Sheeran, dressed in a white t-shirt and shorts was seen singing and playing his guitar on a pavement in the centre of Bengaluru ahead of his concert last Sunday night.

Keep ReadingShow less
NIFFA 2025 to open with ‘Superboys of Malegaon,’ biggest line-up yet

Superboys of Malegaon’ set to open NIFFA 2025, Australia’s biggest Indian film festival

Instagram/shashank.arora

NIFFA 2025 to open with ‘Superboys of Malegaon,’ biggest line-up yet

The National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA) is gearing up for its most ambitious edition yet, bringing over 40 Indian films to Australian audiences. In collaboration with Dendy, the festival will showcase three world premieres and 36 Australian premieres, featuring a diverse mix of films across multiple Indian languages, including some never seen before in Australian theatres.

Reema Kagti’s much-anticipated Superboys of Malegaon will open the festival on February 13, 2025, with a grand red-carpet gala in Sydney. The film, which previously screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival, will travel across major cities, including Canberra, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Melbourne, before a nationwide release by Forum Films.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ranveer Allahbadia’s controversy sparks Parliament row after YouTube takedown

Ranveer Allahbadia faces backlash as controversy sparks national debate

Youtube/Samay Raina

Ranveer Allahbadia’s controversy sparks Parliament row after YouTube takedown

Popular YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, known as ‘BeerBiceps,’ is under fire for his controversial comments on comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show, India’s Got Latent. The episode, which has since been removed from YouTube, featured Ranveer asking a contestant inappropriate and vulgar questions, sparking widespread outrage.

The controversy has escalated to the highest levels, with Members of Parliament raising concerns and demanding action. A parliamentary panel on Information Technology is reportedly considering summoning Ranveer to address the issue. MPs like Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi and Biju Janata Dal’s Sasmit Patra have criticised the use of offensive language under the guise of comedy, emphasising the need for stricter content guidelines on social media platforms.

Ranveer Allahbadia faces backlash and legal probe over controversial remarks on \u2018India\u2019s Got Latent\u2019Ranveer Allahbadia faces backlash and legal probe over controversial remarks on ‘India’s Got Latent’ Instagram/beerbiceps

Keep ReadingShow less
Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh’s scooter ride: A viral internet hit!

Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh share the stage, creating musical magic together.

Instagram/arijitsingh

Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh’s scooter ride: A viral internet hit!

When two of the world’s most beloved singers come together, magic happens. Ed Sheeran, the global pop sensation, and Arijit Singh, India’s soulful voice, recently made headlines for their viral scooter ride through the streets of Jiaganj, Arijit’s hometown in West Bengal. The video of their casual outing has taken the internet by storm, with fans calling it the “most wholesome moment ever.”

In the viral clip, Arijit is seen driving the scooter while Ed enjoys the ride as a pillion passenger. The duo, accompanied by a few friends on other scooters, ditched heavy security and opted for the real small-town vibe. Their adventure didn’t stop there though, they also took a quiet boat ride along the Bhagirathi River enjoying the quiet beauty of Jiaganj like a true local.

Keep ReadingShow less