Mumbai: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced AR Rahman as the Breakthrough India ambassador for another year as they invite a new round of applications in India for the programme. Supported by Netflix, this programme will be open for prospective talent across the film, games, and television industries.
The BAFTA Breakthrough India programme will once again identify, promote and support Indian talent within these industries on a global scale, said the organisation in a statement on Wednesday.
"BAFTA Breakthrough India is an awe-inspiring initiative that offers the unique opportunity to promising artists to connect with influential experts in their field, serving as a life-changing experience," remarked AR Rahman. "India has the supreme talent to offer which was evidenced by the overwhelming response received during the first round of Breakthrough India that compelled the jury to select ten deserving participants instead of five as originally planned."
Akin to the debut initiative, BAFTA Breakthrough aims to celebrate Indian talent by offering a bespoke programme of support – helping participants develop knowledge about the industry, develop their craft, address barriers to progression, and network globally with people who can influence their careers.
The programme provides a bursary to support international networking opportunities, further to this, recipients will also receive: One-to-one industry meetings and group roundtable sessions; Global networking opportunities with BAFTA membership, industry and peer to pee Breakthrough cohorts; Access to Career Coaching sessions and support with professional skills development; Access to BAFTA’s virtual programme of events and screenings for 12 months, and PR support and showcasing as part of Breakthrough.
“India has a wealth of talent waiting to be discovered and showcased. For the second year, we are delighted to open applications for BAFTA Breakthrough supported by Netflix," stated BAFTA chief executive Amanda Berry OBE. "The high quality of applicants in our first year prompted the jury to select ten individuals rather than five, and we look forward to receiving applications from the very best emerging talent in film, games, and television again."
The incredibly talented list of BAFTA Breakthrough’s first cohort comprised of the future stars of the film, games, and television industries: Akshay Singh (writer), Arun Karthick (director/writer), Jay Pinak Oza (cinematographer), Karthikeya Murthy (composer), Palomi Ghosh (actor), Renu Savant (director/writer), Shruti Ghosh (game developer & art director), Sumit Purohit (director/writer), Tanya Maniktala (actor) and Vikramaditya Singh (director).
"Coming together to create opportunities for fresh talent and offering them a global platform is vital to the growth of the entertainment industry," said Netflix India VP - content Monika Shergill. "Through the BAFTA Breakthrough India initiative, we want to drive progress in creating a more inclusive industry where many tales are told, and many voices tell those stories. We look forward to an equally enthusiastic and quality response as in the first year.”
