VISION To create a state-of-the-art institution that sets new standards of world-class education in film, media and entertainment. MISSION Benchmarking quality, inspiring innovation, encouraging creativity & moulding minds, by leading from the front in the field of film, media and entertainment education. ONE OF THE TEN BEST FILM SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD ~ THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER Degree courses in partnership 1100+ Media with Media and Studies Space Film Industry Curriculum for TISS Alumni CBSE MUMBAI 5.5 700 8 Acre Campus Students Schools SCHOOL OF FILMMAKING SCHOOL OF ANIMATION ACTORS’ STUDIO SCHOOL OF MEDIA & COMMUNICATION SCHOOL OF FASHION SCHOOL OF MUSIC SHORT COURSE UNIT VIRTUAL ACADEMY Subhash Ghai Chairman Founder & Chairman, Whistling Woods International Chairman, Mukta Arts Limited Member, Executive Committee Film & Television Producers Guild of India Member, United Producers Forum Education Evangelist Karmaveer Chakra Awardee Subhash Ghai is a globally renowned filmmaker having directed 18 films over a three decade career, with 14 of them being blockbusters. Recipient of many national and international awards; he has also been honoured by the United States Senate. He was the former Chairman of the Entertainment Committee of the trade body CII and a member of FICCI, NASSCOM and TIE Global & its alliances. He has been invited to address various forums and seminars on corporate governance and the growth of the Media & Entertainment industry globally & in India. Film school was a key phase of my life and possibly the best decision I have ever made. That said, my idea of KNOWLEDGE, film education changed significantly before, during and after my schooling. Before I joined film school, I ‘expected’ to EMPATHY, learn filmmaking in a particular manner with a specific educational methodology. While undergoing film education, I realised that it was significantly different from what I RESPECT. expected. Each year spent after my film education made me realise that while a lot of my successes were enabled by Recieved IIFA award for his my film education, there are several key aspects critical to Outstanding Contribution to Indian an individual’s success, which were never communicated to Cinema. me, leaving my education partly isolated from the real world of the Indian film industry. I strongly believe that technicians have to be artistes first and artistes Back in 1999, after having spent over 20 years in the must learn the technique & industry, having directed 18 films, produced several more technology needed to express and having educated or trained several artistes and themselves. Moreover, neither the technicians in the art of filmmaking while launching their technician nor the artiste can careers, I realised that a specific kind of education mix is separate themselves from the needed for the filmmakers to serve the industry as well as build a career for themselves. I also realised that business skills needed to ensure institutionalising this specific kind of education was complex continuity & success in the but very important, if we as a country were to make our mark industry they are in. on the global Media & Entertainment industry artistically, technically and commercially. Hence, at Whistling Woods International (WWI), we drew from the global giants of the field and created a body of expert academicians and professionals who would help us create the necessary environment conducive to the education we wanted to provide. We developed a challenging international curriculum and we built into it an incredible scope for the individual to experiment with his ideas in the art, science and business of Media and Entertainment, once educated in the art, commerce & technology of filmmaking. WWI also believes that our students must be encouraged to appreciate, analyse and promote various kinds of Indian and World cinema across the ages including regional popular cinema from across the globe so as to widen their spectrum of social connect with the world. It is this new, bold, ever-changing milieu that I would like to invite all of you into, in the hope that we raise the zenith of the Indian Media & Entertainment industry. This is among the best film schools in the world and recognised as such universally. Shyam Benegal Chairman, Academic Advisory Board, WWI Filmmaker Where success is not just a dream. Neeta Lulla, Krishna Mehta, Founder & Dean, Whistling Woods Creative Director, International School of Fashion & Fashion Brand Krishna Mehta Design I am so thrilled to be here again. Whistling Woods “International has been an inspiration to me. A. R. Rahman, Music Director & Singer Entering the gate of Whistling Woods International, I feel that I was born today. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Filmmaker Why wasn’t this institute started when I entered the industry. Ashutosh Gowariker, Ramesh Sippy, Filmmaker Filmmaker ADVISORY BOARD ACADEMIC Manmohan Shetty, Board of Director, WWI Founder, Adlabs Films Ltd. Whistling Woods is filling a huge gap in providing training to students in departments of Filmmaking & Media. Shabana Azmi, Shaimak Dawar, Actor Choreographer Shyam Benegal Chairman, Academic Advisory Board, WWI It is a positive step Filmmaker towards creation of “talent for the industry A. P. Parigi and must be protected Director, Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. and nurtured. Javed Akhtar, Screenwriter & Lyricist Akash Khurana CEO & Chairman, Nimbus Communication Ltd. You are lucky to have such Anand Halve a wonderful ground and a Co-Founder, Chlorophyll beautiful institution. There should be an institute like Anuj Pandey this where all the forms of MD, Himalaya Publications art are taught. So many filmmakers came and went but no one has ever thought Anurag Batra of doing this except for Chairman, GBN Media, Business World, Subhashji. Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, Exchange4media Hema Malini, Actor Arvind Singhal Chairman, Technopak Advisors Ashish Kulkarni Founder, Punnyaryug Artvision Pvt Ltd, Former CEO, BIG Animation Ashvini Yardi Film Producer, Grazing Goat Former Head of Programming, Colors Bhaskar Das Former President, Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. Bobby Sista I think overall in You are fortunate to have an Founder and Executive Trustee, Population First this medium, institute like WWI to “education and educate & guide you. Cyrus Oshidar grounding has been Mahesh Bhatt, Filmmaker Founder, Bawa Broadcasting seriously lacking and hence it is fabulous that an initiative like Deepa Gahlot Whistling Woods has Programming Head, Theatre & Film, NCPA been undertaken. Ronnie Screwvala, Founder & Chairman - UTV Deepak Jayaram Former MD, Disney - UTV India Managing Partner, Group M Dhunji S. Wadia President, Everest Brand Solutions Dilip Cherian Writer Dr. Jabbar Patel Filmmaker G. Krishnan Former CEO, TV Today Networks Jiggy George Founder & CEO, Dream Theatre If you are an aspiring Josy Paul Actor, Director or “Film technician, Creative Director, BBDO India Whistling Woods is your answer. Karan Johar, Filmmaker K. V. Sridhar Chief Creative Officer India, SapientNitro Former National Creative Director, Leo Burnett Kamlesh Pandey Screenwriter Anjana Sharma, Om Puri, COO & Fashion Director Actor Stylista.com Kumar Ketkar Chief Editor, Divya Dainik Bhaskar Group Lajwanti D’Souza It is a great platform for Managing Editor, Pagalguy.com young students to come and learn the craft and be out there in the world Mahesh Samat of fashion. Founder & MD, EPIC Television Anita Dongre, Former MD, Disney India Fashion Designer Merzin Tavaria Co-Founder & Chief Creative Director, Prime Focus Neena Tolaram Jalan Manager, Filmistan Studios Rahul Mehta President, Clothing Manufacturing Association India Ranjit Barot Music Director Ravi Deshpande Founder, Chairman & CCO, Whyness Former Chairman, Contract Advertising I wish I had received the Sanjeev Sharma educational opportunities that each one of the WWI CEO & Executive Chairman, student is fortunate to get. Optimystix Entertainment Brian Tellis, Chairman, Fountainhead Saroj Khan Promotions & Events An Oasis in the Choreographer desert! A place to “learn in a special Smita Thackeray environment!! Great Producer being here. All the Best! Roshan Abbas, Sukanti Ghosh Founder, Encompass MD, India APCO Worldwide Sunil Lulla Executive Vice Chairman & MD, Eros International Media Ltd. Tony D’Silva CEO, Sun Direct Vivek Bahl Former Chief Creative Director, Meher Castellino, Sony Entertainment Television Fashion Journalist Zubin Driver CEO, Pundalik Former CEO, Cell 18 Group Creative Director, Network 18 Pradeep Guha, MD, 9X Media, Former Vice President & Area Director, APAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS GOVERNING COUNCIL Anand Mahindra Chairman, Governing Council, WWI Chairman & MD, Mahindra & Mahindra Anil Harish Legal Expert, DM Harish & Co. Ashok Mishra Chairman, Intellectual Ventures India, Bangalore Kiran Karnik Whistling Woods is the Former President, NASSCOM new world, one of the “institutions that will Pradip Shah ensure India's safe passage into the future. Chairman, IndAsia Pvt. Ltd. Anand Mahindra Chairman, Governing Council, WWI Purnendu Chatterjee Chairman & MD, Mahindra & Mahindra Founder, The Chatterjee Group (TCG) INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD An institution is less Clare Wise defined by its land and Director, UK Film Council “ buildings that it creates - but more, far more by the Daniel Dubiecki quality of minds, hearts Oscar Nominated Producer, Juno and passion it can create in its students. This Derek Wyatt institution must survive Politician, British Labour Party and prosper. Shekhar Kapur, Actor & Filmmaker Dr. Deepak