Ram Madhvani is an Indian film director, producer, and creator known for one of the few people who has received the national award for his film Neerja, an International Emmy nomination for his series Aarya and two Cannes advertising award for his commercials.
Ram Madhvani | |
|---|---|
 Ram Madhvani at Mumbai Office | |
| Born | |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, Film producer |
| Spouse | Amita Madhvani |
He is the Co-founder, Director, and Producer at Equinox Films, Ram Madhvani Films, and Equinox Virtual, a company establishing itself in the global gaming ecosphere, in partnership with Amita Madhvani. [1]
Ram is acclaimed for his National Award-winning Hindi feature film ‘Neerja’, starring Sonam Kapoor and Shabana Azmi. Under Ram Madhvani Films, Ram and Amita has created the International Emmy-nominated series, ‘Aarya’, starring Sushmita Sen. The first season premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on June 19, 2020, followed by Season 2 on December 10, 2021.
His Hindi feature film ‘Dhamaka’ [1] starring Kartik Aaryan and Mrunal Thakur released on 19th November 2021 on Netflix as a global release and was listed amongst five action films to be streamed by The New York Times in Dec 2021. The highly anticipated Season 3 of ‘Aarya’ was released in two parts on 3rd November 2023 and 9th February 2024 respectively, captivating audiences worldwide. Currently, all seasons are streaming worldwide and available via Hulu, further solidifying Ram Madhvani's reputation as a prominent figure in Indian cinema and streaming content. [2] [3]
Ram is further poised to captivate audiences once again with his upcoming release, "The Waking of a Nation." This groundbreaking show explores a pivotal event in Indian history.
Career
editRam Madhvani is a respected filmmaker internationally for producing and directing feature films, web series, commercials, short films and music videos.
Advertisements
editIn his career, Ram Madhvani has handcrafted some of India's most memorable ads for Adidas, Happydent White, and Airtel’s commercials, which have garnered universal praise. His Equinox Films has three producers and four directors working with global clients.
In 2000, he won the Bronze Lion for Forte organ donation film and in 2007, the Silver Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for the Happydent White commercial. The latter also won Ram the Best Director, Best Film, and Best Production
Design at the Asia Pacific Awards. Happydent has also been voted one of the Top 20 Commercials of the Millennium by the Gunn Report, with Ram ranked number 11 in the Most Awarded Directors by the same report. It was the only Indian advertisement on the list. The Commercials for Happydent and LMN, directed by Ram, were amongst the Top 20 of the last twenty years in the Shots magazine. [4]
In 2012, Ram was the president of the jury for film craft at Adfest Bangkok.
In 2011, an advertisement he directed for Hippo Baked Munchies won Silver for Best Direction in the Film Craft Awards at Adfest Bangkok. In 2022, Ram has also been a part of the jury for the Best Drama Series Category for International Academy Of Television Arts & Science Awards.
Ram has also won numerous awards at the Indian Advertising Festivals.
Feature Films & Web Series
editIn 2002, Madhvani released his directorial debut feature film, ‘Let’s Talk’,[5] with actors Boman Irani and Maia Katrak, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and won him the Best Debut Director at the Srinivas Gollapudi National Awards. [6]
In 2007, Aamir Khan approached Ram to direct the song ‘Bheja Kum’ for the film ‘Taare Zameen Par’.
In 2012, Ram was again approached to direct the official theme song video for Aamir Khan's TV series ‘Satyamev Jayate’.
In February 2015, Ram directed the aviation drama biographical film ‘Neerja’, starring Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi and Shekhar Ravjiani, which was critically acclaimed and commercially successful. It was produced under the banner of Fox Star Studios and Bling Unplugged, with Amita Madhvani being the Associate Producer.[7] The film also won the prestigious National Award for Best Hindi Feature Film.
In June 2020, Ram launched his own production house [8] - Ram Madhvani Films - while simultaneously entering the world of web series with ‘Aarya’, featuring Sushmita Sen. The first season marked India's presence on the global map by bagging an International Emmy nomination in 2021. [9]
After the success of ‘Aarya’ and ‘Neerja’, Ram Madhvani Films announced an adaptation of the South Korean film ‘The Terror Live’, titled ‘Dhamaka’, co-produced with RSVP movies, featuring Kartik Aaryan and Mrunal Thakur.[10] The film was released on November 19, 2021, on Netflix. The film, a dramatic thriller, was released on 19th November 2021 on Netflix.[11] The film opened to positive reviews and further enhanced Ram's status as a reputed filmmaker.
Ram was the creator and a co-director for Aarya Season 2, which streamed on Disney+ Hotstar on 10th December 2021. The series was critically acclaimed and loved by OTT viewers all around the world and it was hailed as one of the most riveting family crime dramas in the digital space.
Ram was the creator, co-producer and also a co-director for Aarya Season 2, which streamed on Disney+ Hotstar on December 10, 2021. The series received widespread critical acclaim and garnered immense love from OTT viewers globally. It was hailed as one of the most captivating family crime dramas in the digital space. Additionally, Ram continued its success with the release of Aarya Season 3,[12][13] captivating audiences with its gripping narrative and stellar performances.
Ram also known for his compelling narratives, along with his co-producer Amita Madhvani are set to create "The Waking of a Nation", a groundbreaking web series. The show explores the pivotal event in Indian history, shedding light on its profound impact on the Indian independence movement. With meticulous attention to historical detail and a commitment to authenticity, Madhvani aims to offer viewers a poignant portrayal of courage, resilience, and the quest for justice amidst one of the darkest chapters in India's fight for freedom. [14]
Short films
editRam Madhvani directed a short documentary film titled ‘Everlasting Light’, showcasing Indian film superstar Amitabh Bachchan, premiered at the Lincoln Center in New York. Richard Peña, director of the Lincoln Center, wrote: "It is rare that a film on an artist is itself a work of art."
In March 2017, he released his short film This Bloody Line,[15] on the Sir Cyril Radcliffe and on the Partition, commissioned by ‘#BigShorts for India Tomorrow’ by India Today.[16] [17]
Filmography
edit| † | Denotes films that are not yet been released |
Films
edit| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Mission Kashmir | Associate | No | |
| 2002 | Let's Talk | Yes | Co-producer | |
| 2016 | Neerja | Yes | No | |
| 2021 | Dhamaka | Yes | Yes | Netflix film |
| TBA | Dive † | No | Yes | Announced |
Web series
edit| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–present | Aarya | Yes | Yes | Disney+ Hotstar, Hulu |
References
edit- ^ "We at Equinox are ready, hungry & willing to adapt: Ram Madhvani - Exchange4media". Indian Advertising Media & Marketing News – exchange4media. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ PTI (23 September 2021). "International Emmy Awards 2021: Sushmita Sen's 'Aarya', Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vir Das nominated". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ "The Great Indian Ad Battle: Unheard stories of Perfetti Van Melle-owned brand Happydent's Palace commercial". www.storyboard18.com. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ "Let's Talk: An enjoyable experience". The Times of India. 10 December 2002. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ "Ram Madhwani bags Gollapudi Srinivas National award". The Times of India. 16 March 2003. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ "64th National Film Awards Winners: Sonam Kapoor starrer 'Neerja' wins Best Hindi Feature Film, Akshay Kumar declared Best Actor". The Times of India. 8 April 2017. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ^ Jha, Lata (5 June 2020). "'Neerja' director Ram Madhvani launches production house". mint. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ "Emmy nomination reaffirms our faith: Ram Madhvani on 'Aarya 2'". The Times of India. 12 November 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ "Dhamaka movie review: Kartik Aaryan 2.0 delivers intense performance in this gripping thriller". Hindustan Times. 19 November 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ Hungama, Bollywood (18 October 2021). "Kartik Aaryan starrer Dhamaka to release on November 19 on Netflix : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama". Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ Mishra, Pratikshya (4 November 2023). "'Aarya Season 3' Review: Guess Sushmita Sen Never Misses". TheQuint. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ "'Aarya Season 3' X Review: Internet calls Sushmita's show 'too good to be missed'". India Today. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (8 November 2021). "Ram Madhvani, Creator of Emmy-Nominated Disney Series 'Aarya,' Sets 'The Waking of a Nation' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ Alexander, Deepa (3 April 2017). "Ram Madhvani's short film This Bloody Line". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
- ^ "Watch: Neerja director Ram Madhavani's short shows how nationalism divided India". India Today. 20 March 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
- ^ Alexander, Deepa (3 April 2017). "Ram Madhvani's short film This Bloody Line". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
External links
edit- Ram Madhvani at IMDb
- Ram Madhvani profile on Kulzy Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine