97th Academy Awards For Namit Malhotra, founder of Prime Focus, CEO of DNEG, and producer of the upcoming Ranbir Kapoor starrer ‘Ramayana’, this marks DNEG’s eighth Oscar win and India’s seventh Academy Award victory
Our Bureau
Los Angeles/Mumbai
Indian film producer Namit Malhotra’s production company, DNEG, made history for India as it bagged 7th award for the country and 8th for the company at the prestigious Visual Effects Oscars. The company received recognition for its outstanding work on the Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya-starrer, ‘Dune: Part Two’.
For Namit Malhotra, founder of Prime Focus, CEO of DNEG, and producer of the upcoming Ranbir Kapoor starrer ‘Ramayana’, this marks DNEG’s eighth Oscar win and India’s seventh Academy Award victory.
DNEG is a leading visual-effects (VFX), animation, and creative technology company that has worked on some of the biggest Hollywood films. The award was accepted by DNEG VFX Supervisors Stephen James and Rhys Salcombe, along with Production VFX Supervisor Paul Lambert and Special Effects Supervisor Gerd Nefzer.
This marks DNEG’s eighth Oscar win since 2011. The company has previously won the Visual Effects Oscar for ‘Dune: Part One (2022)’, ‘Tenet’ (2021), ‘First Man’ (2019), ‘Blade Runner 2049’ (2018), ‘Ex Machina’ (2016), ‘Interstellar’ (2015), and ‘Inception’ (2011).
Namit Malhotra, who is also the founder of Prime Focus, is producing the upcoming film Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and starring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi.
Based on the second half of Frank Herbert’s 1965 science-fiction novel, ‘Dune: Part Two’ follows Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides as he joins the Fremen and strives to free the galaxy from the Harkonnen empire, which is responsible for his father’s death. Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, and Léa Seydoux join the original cast of Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Stellan Skarsgård.
While speaking to reporters, the producer not only expressed his excitement but also discussed how the company’s track record of winning Oscars over the years is a “rare accomplishment” in the industry. He also thanked his team for their dedication and hard work. “I think it’s a terrific outcome. It’s not just the eighth Oscar; it’s also the fact that we’ve won seven Oscars in the last ten years, which I believe is a very unique record in itself. I can’t imagine anyone else, or any other company, having had the good fortune to say that. I’m incredibly thankful and appreciative of all my artists, technologists, and filmmakers who have trusted us to reach this outcome, which I am immensely proud of,” said Malhotra.
DNEG has been a dominant force in the visual effects industry, winning the Oscar for films like Dune: Part One (2022), Tenet (2021), First Man (2019), Blade Runner 2049 (2018), Ex Machina (2016), Interstellar (2015), and Inception (2011).
When asked about the secret behind DNEG’s consistent success, Namit shared that the company always prioritizes the “director’s vision” and mentioned how understanding the director’s ideas and emotions plays a key role in delivering “high-quality visual effects”.
“Now that we’ve had a few wins, a lot of people have asked me about our secret. Honestly, some of the most complex things are done in the simplest way, as they always say. The basic reality is that we’ve always been a company that prioritizes the director’s vision. That’s the core of how we operate,” he said.
“The director is the captain of the ship, and we must capture every word, every nuance of what the director thinks, feels, and imagines. Our challenge is how to take that and apply it using our technology and artistry. To me, that’s the most basic yet the most powerful way to create a seamless experience. Ultimately, most visual effects that win these Oscars are awarded not because of the stunning display of technology or talent, but because they seamlessly fit into the story,” Namit added.
DNEG is a leading visual effects, animation, and creative technology company that has worked on some of the biggest Hollywood films. The award was accepted by DNEG VFX Supervisors Stephen James and Rhys Salcombe, along with Production VFX Supervisor Paul Lambert and Special Effects Supervisor Gerd Nefzer.
