Dada Saheb Phalke Birth Anniversary Celebrated at AAFT University

Dada Saheb Phalke 151st Birth Anniversary Celebrated at AAFT 

Raipur: "I think cinema, movies, and magic have always been closely associated. The very earliest people who made film were magicians. Cinema is universal, beyond flags and borders and passports. Cinema can fill in the empty spaces of your life and your loneliness,” said Dada Saheb Phalke Film Foundation Awardee Dr. Sandeep Marwah and Chancellor of AAFT University of Media And Arts in a webinar organised to pay tribute to the Father of Cinema on his 151st birth anniversary which falls on 30^th April.

“Cinema is not only about making people dream. It’s about changing things and making people think. The cinema occupies an important place in the overall development of art and literature,” added founder of Noida Film City Dr. Sandeep Marwah who has been titled many times as Global Cultural Minister also.

Dadasaheb Phalke, who is known as the father of Indian Cinema was born on April 30, 1870, in Nashik, Maharashtra. Initially, Dadasaheb started off his career as a photographer but after he watched a silent French movie ‘Life of Christ’, his life changed. It became the turning point in his life which persuaded him to opt for filmmaking as his career and for that he went to London to pursue his dream.

After returning from London, he made Raja Harishchandra in 1913, which was considered a first-of-its-kind Indian feature film and that was just the beginning of Indian Cinema. He made almost 100 movies in his 25-year long career and after that he took retirement.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021

World Day for Safety and Health at Work

New Delhi: The COVID-19 pandemic has led governments, employers, workers and the general population to face unprecedented challenges in relation to the virus and the many effects it has had on the world of work.

“The World Day for Safety and Health at Work will focus on strategies to strengthen national occupational safety and health (OSH) systems to build resilience, in order to face crises now and in the future, drawing on lessons learned and experiences from the world of work,” said Sandeep Marwah President of Marwah Studios making staff of the studios alert and cautious about the consequences.

Since emerging as a global crisis in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has had profound impacts everywhere. The pandemic has touched nearly every aspect of the world of work, from the risk of transmission of the virus in workplaces, to occupational safety and health (OSH) risks that have emerged as a result of measures to mitigate the spread of the virus.

The webinar was supported by International Chamber of Media And Entertainment Industry, AAFT University of Media and Arts and World Peace Development And Research Foundation.

International Dance Day at AAFT School of Performing Arts

International Dance Day at AAFT Noida

Noida: “Dancing is so much more than just grooving on the dance floor to your favourite tunes. In fact, you’ll be surprised how many benefits are associated with dancing. Not only does it train your brain and your body’s motor skills but it also is an excellent exercise for your entire body,” said Sandeep Marwah President of AAFT School of Performing Arts on the celebration of International Dance Day at Marwah Stuios Film City Noida.

“Dance allows you to express a wide variety of emotions. The way you dance can express happiness, excitement, and passion but also aggression and anger. What is so wonderful about dancing is that it helps you to relieve stress and to fully center yourself in the present moment,” added Sandeep Marwah also President of International Chamber of Media And Entertainment Industry.

This day is a celebration day for those who can see the value and importance of the art form “dance”, and acts as a wake-up-call for governments, politicians and institutions which have not yet recognised its value to the people and to the individual and have not yet realised its potential for economic growth.

The goals of International Dance Day are To promote dance in all its forms across the world, to make people aware of the value of dance in all its forms like to enable the dance community and to promote their work on a broad scale, so that governments and opinion leaders are aware of the value and importance of dance in all its forms and support it.

Sandeep Marwah Spoke on New Education Policy at CEGR Summit

Sandeep Marwah Addressed at CEGR Education Summit

New Delhi: “I am amazed to go through the chapters of New Education Policy which has been rectified and corrected after thirty-four years in India. I must congratulate Government of India for changing the name of the ministry from HRD to Ministry of Education,” said Dr. Sandeep Marwah Chancellor of AAFT University & National Chairman- M & E Committee BIS, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India in a 7^th Higher Education Summit organised by CEGR- Centre for Education Growth and Research on the occasion of 9^th Foundation Day.

Discussing different aspects of new policy Dr. Sandeep Marwah emphasised that chalk & talk days are over and every education has to be replanned to develop the overall personality of the student. Skill development and training has to be part of the course. “Workshops, seminars, interactions, industry interface, festivals, foreign faculties, promotion of art and culture must be included into the day-to-day affairs of students,” added Dr. Marwah giving example of AAFT which has been a case study with UCLA and 27 other countries of the World.

Kunwar Shekhar Vijendra National President CEGR and Chancellor Shobit University, Mrs Menakshi Lekhi Member Parliament, Dr. Arvind Agarwal Chairman Arya Group of Colleges Jaipur, Suresh Prabhu M p and former Union Minister Government of India, V.M. Bansal New Delhi Institute of Management, Sandeep Pachpande Chairman ASM Group of Institution Pune, Prof. A.P. Mittal Past President CEGR, Biswajit Saha Director CBSE, Sanjay B Chordiya Chairman Suryadatta Group of Institution Pune and  Ravish Roshan Director CEGR also expressed their views.

International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy Observed by World Peace Foundation

World Peace Development And Research Foundation

New Delhi: “International Days are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool,” said Sandeep Marwah in a conference organised by World Peace Development And Research Foundation to commemorate International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy Observed by World Peace Foundation.

  .“In India we have always believed that soft power is the key to best relationship. Cultural diplomacy is the ultimate which can bring countries together on the same platform without any much difference,” added Dr. Sandeep Marwah President WPDRF.

Dr. Sandeep Marwah, ICMEI and World Peace Development And Research Foundation has created 196 International Forums with a common phrase -Love Peace And Unity Through Art and Culture. 196 Scholarship to study art and culture in India, Production of 196 Short films in joint venture, 196 Radio Programs on Radio Noida & Radio Raipur, 196 Film Festivals of every individual country and also slot to 196 countries on MSTV to showcase their art and culture, is the beginning of bringing  the World close to each other.

International Delegate’s Day Celebrated at ICMEI

Marwah Studios and ICMEI Hub Centre for Foreign Delegates

New Delhi: ICMEI-International Chamber of Media And Entertainment Industry celebrated International Delegate’s Day on 25^th April as mentioned by United Nations in association with AAFT University at Marwah Studios.

“We extend our best regards and gratitude to all the foreign delegates who all have brought in  happiness, prestige and variety of culture to the office of ICMEI converting the Chamber into one of the most exclusive international organization and AAFT as international seat of learning,” said Sandeep Marwah President of ICMEI and AAFT in a webinar addressing members.

“We are lucky that we have international visitors from 145 countries of the World so far. These delegates have been attending our all events especially during the time of Global Film Festival, Global Festival of Journalism, Global Fashion Week, Global Literary Festival and all other international summits designed to promote love, peace and unity through art and culture,” added Marwah.

“On the other hand I have been lucky to represent around 60 countries in India as their cultural representative and golden opportunity to visit around 30 countries of the World as delegate from India,” informed Marwah.

World Book Day Celebrated at AAFT University

World Book Day Celebrated at AAFT University

New Delhi: World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day, or International Day of the Book, is an annual event  organized by the United Nations Educational Scienific and Cultural Organization  (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing and copyright. The first World Book Day was celebrated on 23 April in 1995, and continues to be recognized on that day.

“Books have the power to transport us to new worlds and different times, but they can also take us back to the important moments in our own lives. Many of us have special memories of the books that have inspired us, and have learned the profound effect that reading the right book can have at the right moment. From building your vocabulary to reducing stress, preventing age-related cognitive decline and increasing your ability to empathize, reading books is an easy way to look after your mind and body,” said Sandeep Marwah President of AAFT University in a webinar organised to celebrate World Book Day in association with ICMEI.

During all these months when all of us have seen periods of confinement and people have had to limit their time spent outside, books have proved to be powerful tools to combat isolation, reinforce ties between people, expand our horizons, while stimulating our minds and creativity. This pandemic has revived the habit of reading books,” added Sandeep Marwah while mentioning Sewa Ram Marwah Library at Marwah Studios.

International Mother Earth Day Celebrated at ICMEI

International Mother Earth Day Celebrated at AAFT School of Health & Wellness

New Delhi: ICMEI-International Chamber of Media And Entertainment Industry in association with AAFT University- School of Health and Wellness celebrated International Mother Earth Day on 22^nd April by extending gratitude to Mother Earth online.

“Mother Earth is clearly urging a call to action. Nature is suffering. Oceans filling with plastic and turning more acidic. Extreme heat, wildfires and floods, as well as a record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season, have affected millions of people.  Now we face Covid 19, a worldwide health pandemic link to the health of our ecosystem,” said Sandeep Marwah President of ICMEI in a seminar showing his concern.

“Climate change, man-made changes to nature as well as crimes that disrupt biodiversity, such as deforestation, land-use change, intensified agriculture and livestock production or the growing illegal wildlife trade, can increase contact and the transmission of infectious diseases from animals to human. Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet – and its people. Restoring our damaged ecosystems will help to end poverty, combat climate change and prevent mass extinction,” added Sandeep Marwah.

SANDEEP MARWAH STORY CHAPTER ELEVEN

Chapter 11 The `International TV Club membership’ is restrained and confined to a few connoisseurs of cinema,specially invited to the exclusive precincts of Marwah Studio, to watch the array of classy films. Based on their passion for movies and comprehension of the nuances of cinematic language, Sandeep Marwah selects them with care and alacrity, though it has disappointed many regular visitors. “The International TV Club is synonymous with feature films, TV, and media. It is one of the finest clubs in the world and is on par with the members of CellPhone. Entry is through invitations only which are given to film lovers who have a love for cinema and the requisite knowledge and mindset to judge and appreciate art for art’s sake. The regular stream of viewers is upset and finds wrong assumptions, conclusions, and criticisms while we take them in our stride, as we accept criticism as a different language that offers immense scope for development and improvement.” Meanwhile, students from the ASMS Short Film Festival passed out with flying colours and are on par with the students of AAFT, as regards the subject, out-of-box themes, quality, and length of films that give the Asian School of Media Studies students a good name and an edge over others and give them new opportunities in the market. Students look at the ASMS Festival with much expectation and create a huge hype as it is an annual event, unlike the AAFT Film Festival, which is held four times a year.” It began in 2005 when avid film lovers walked into the campus to watch the First Film Festival of ASMS which set the requisite foundation for the next Film Festival. This fest has the active participation of many bigwigs from the film fraternity that motivates students. “Regular festivals and award ceremonies inspire students more than our expectations. Students make their films which not only givesthem a good reputation but also lays a foundation for their career graph and provides them with enchanting offers. On the campus, placement is given to students with an immense passion for cinema, who are also given due recognition and appreciation besides new openings. The movies made by students become part of their professional CV template, and they carry it with them. Many filmmakers have reverted to me after they watched the movies made by our students when they went in search of employment and appreciated our efforts to hone the skills of these young future filmmakers. Such appreciation inspired me to give students more opportunities in the world of cinema through our courses on the campus. By the end of the film fest, we have a huge collection of films made by fresh creative minds and produced professionally by us, which in turn enhances our bank of films. This created an urge in me to felicitate the students and motivate them, and thus ASMS Cinema Awards became a reality. As a wellorganized event, it makes students active and alert. On the first day, we chart and project the best movies while we select five nominees and reward them on the second day. Maybe it looks like that we are the only institution that felicitates young talents and gives them due to identity on such a massive scale in a professional way.” Lockdown had left Sandeep Marwah quite dismayed and disappointed as he could not organize the film festival last year. But he is adamant that he would hold the Film Festival this year. “I will hold the same ASMS Film Festival this year with much fanfare on a larger scale after things become normal after the pandemic is over. Unfortunately, the Film Festival could not be held last year due to the unexpected lockdown, though I held it online with the active participation of film lovers from India and overseas. The online Film Festival became famous and attracted the interest of film buffs which led to the tremendous success of the online event which made me decide to hold another Film Festival in the name of `Country-wise Festival’ to highlight films from other countries. We usually have a good rapport with the diplomats, embassies, and foreign filmmakers, and so we decided to cash in on this proximity and showcase their films on our campus, which leadsto mutual cultural exchange. And they were happy to support us in this new endeavour. Successfully, we held the `Festival of Films from America, Japan, Poland, and others’, once every quarter. This benefits both of us as it promotes good business and gives good exposure to each other’s culture. Students from all disciplines are usually exposed to this mega Film Festival which highlights the art and culture of different countries. It is a known fact that cinema is the best ambassador to propagate a country’s culture. This initiative not only led to wonderful relations between different countries but also to build a good rapport with them. This festival gained ground in terms of immense popularity and made our campus the center of the diplomatic circle and students. We began to regularly hold such formal congregations of likeminded people on the campus and such consistent festivities contributed on a large scale to help build `Marwah’ into a brand. With the requisite expertise, we specialize in our field and give business to others and for our establishment, which makes our campus jam-packed with various activities.” The after-effect of the mega-success of the congregation of different countries' cultures led to a galaxy of ideas in Sandeep Marwah. He decided to create a revolution in the media fraternity. “Every festival enlightens me and offers me a plethora of ideas, and I come up with a new creative vision, and this time `Global Festival of Journalism’ cropped up on my mind. The situation warranted that I should do something bold and new. I started a new organization called the `International Journalism Centre.’ That time a sudden realization dawned upon me that as a teacher, I had churned out more than 15,000 media professionals. All of them have found employment in different media organizations and are successful in their endeavours and are stern supporters of mine. I started four journalism institutes in India and had 10,000 members, which until then no one had ventured to do so and it became my exclusive creation. I decided to create a sensation in the media circle and decided to honour journalists. I placed a proposal in front of the staff members, and each one of them said that they had never heard of a festival like that. I told them that it was an out-of-the-box idea that had never been experimented with by anyone. I informed them that as a creative institution, we need to have offbeat ideas that would make us stand distinct from the rest of the world. Initially, I faced a lot of resistances from the staff, faculty, and members of IFTV. But later we got six to seven major federations besides other organizations from various parts of India to become members of this international Journalism Center. By this time, I got unanimously elected as the Chairperson, which provided me with ample strength and inspiration to go ahead with this unique venture.” As a voracious reader, Sandeep Marwah came across the United Nations and came across the UN devotes different dates to the national and international day of awareness and observances. “With my extensive research since 2011 on the varied aspects of the UN, I chanced upon the United Nations declaration of different dates. Surprised to find that February 13th had been dedicated to `World Radio Day’ while February 14th was for `Valentine’s Day’ but there were no dates for the oldest profession, Journalism. I had created the `International Journalism Centre’ and I declared February 12th as `International Journalism Day.’ Each year, I earmark three days Feb 12th, 13th, and 14th towards the Global Festival of Journalism in Asia. By sheer coincidence, Italy also celebrates the same festival but in a different tone and tenor, while our festival unfurls its doors to the public and stands offbeat and catchy with an array of workshops, seminars, and interactive programs. Besides, we had photographic and painting exhibitions, and creation forums formed to remember our ancestors and leaders. We promote love, peace, and unity through journalism. Our by-line for the festival `An event of journalists, by journalists, and for journalists,’ became an instant hit with the audience as a beautiful catchy line which reminded one of Abraham Lincoln’s famous words in a democratic set-up. Journalism as the fourth pillar gave an idea of the pertinence of journalists in society. We felicitated journalists with awards and organized programs for the radio. It became sheer entertainment and a mouthpiece of journalism with a message that one can cover anything and everything on earth. I am certain that within a few years, the world will celebrate this festival initiated by me. It began with the title of Delhi, then changed to Indian, and then foreign organizations and has been held for the past nine years. Our global reach on a large scale became discernible last week with the active participation of 60 countries, 130 speakers, 1,40,000 participants, and 5,00,000 audiences. Indeed, the Global Festival of Journalists became one of the biggest shows held successfully in the world during the pandemic during which all the foreign journalists were also awarded. And foreign journalists felicitated me with the title of `Media Scientist’. “ Success breeds success, which became true when the online festival-inspired Sandeep Marwah constitute two new awards. Citizen Journalist Awards to women journalists who worked hard for a whole year during the pandemic. “Many women became part and parcel of the program and began to teach English and Hindi. We had 200 people on board for the program through the web. 21 women had done a commendable job while 100 of them had conducted and produced large entertainment programs as presenters. A single woman had conducted 100 musical shows while another had done 100 dance shows while another had anchored 100 programs, and yet another had conducted 300 interviews. We honoured these women in front of a large audience in India and overseas, which made the web program a super-hit. We had held 80 seminars after the lockdown began.” The second award titled `Marwah Studio International Award for Excellence in Journalism’ gave journalists due to recognition. “We had completed 30 years in the business arena, 33 years in Noida Film City, and 40 years in the media circle, a huge achievement for us which became a super hit. We put in hard work for all occasions with web programs and celebrated their success in our studios. Recently, we gave away 17 awards to journalists from different countries who were enamoured to see each other through the same window. It added glitz and glamour to the program. Besides, it enhanced the quality and size of the festival.” The third award `Mahatma Gandhi National Award for journalists had entered the fourth edition. “We had 11 minor and major programs which added up to 22 programs. This gave me immense satisfaction as it uplifted the AAFT School of Mass Communication and Journalism, which in turn promotes the International Chamber of Media and Entertainment. We also celebrated my new designation as National Chairperson of Media & Entertainment Committee (Indian Standard), from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India.

SANDEEP MARWAH STORY CHAPTER TEN

Chapter ten!

A vivacious and passionate Sandeep Marwah spends all his time within the realms of creativity to come up with innovative ideas and improve the world of cinema. In his huge line up out of box ideas, a brilliant idea which catapulted the institute to fame turned out to be the unique `International Film and TV Club' in the early nineties. This Club not only promoted tv, films, and media but also helped students get a sneak preview of the work set-up of the film industry besides create an interface with the film industry. Different types of movies were screened and courses designed in such a way it got affiliated with the industry.

"Students not only get a good exposure to the film industry but also get first-hand information about the different challenges that plague the industry. They come face to face with different type of situations that are widely prevalent in the film world. It gives them a chance to learn as well as imbibe new ideas and gain knowledge through interaction with those who are already part of the industry. This makes them more alert and conscious of the impending challenges which were discernible in students within a few months. Thus, the need of the hour became the requisite need to gear up students to become more optimistic with no pre-conceived notions or expectations. But at the same time, be ready to face any situation and fight different type of circumstances before they embark upon a career and make a remarkable entry into films. The Club ensured that these real-life situations are chipped into the minds of students which made it prominent. Thanks to the Club, the AAFT Festival of Short Films too gathered steam and became very popular and the talk of the town. The fest attracted an array of new viewers who were thrilled to bits, as new films were introduced every three months from 1993 to 2003."

Meanwhile, Sandeep Marwah got busy and became associated with another physically energetic pursuit to kickstart `The Asian School of Media Studies' in 2003. The 2nd Film Festival of `AAFT Festival of Short Films' unfurled its doors, as per schedule in 2004. The name of the Film Festival got changed from AAFT Festival of Short Films to AAFT Festival of Short Digital Films after due intervention and diligence of the great filmmaker Shekhar Kapur.

"I had met Shekhar Kapur to invite him to become the Chief Guest for the `AAFT Film Festival of Short Films' and to inaugurate the fest. He told me that he would not be able to make it then due to his prior commitments but would make it the next time. He informed me that times had changed with the advent of the digital age and that an alteration needs to be made in the name of the Film Festival. And so, the term digital got added to the name of the fest. Students from `AAFT Film Festival' as well as `ASMS Film Festival' made their films which were eventually screened in their respective film festivals. Thus about 15 to 20 films were made from our institute every year."

Amidst all this milieu, Sandeep Marwah stuck to time management and ensured that he attends many functions, seminars, and conferences in India and overseas. He had the special privilege to represent India at the `Peace Conference' after he got invited by the `World Peace Federation' in Seoul, Korea. The exceptional congregation had a good turnout of about 180 people who hailed from different parts of the world.

"All the guests in the conference were provided five-star amenities as regards food and accommodation. I cannot forget the amazing experience which I got in the august gathering of high-level dignitaries which

included the likes of Prime Ministers, Presidents, Governors besides former Prime Ministers and Presidents besides VIP's from around the world who were all in attendance at the round table event. Elated to represent India, I had decided that I would make an indelible impact with my announcement and sound different and extra-ordinary. In my preliminary speech, I highlighted the fact that India has been a spiritual capital for decades and history vouches this fact. I informed them that I would love to make films that promote peace and exhibit my creative instincts. I got flabbergasted when the entire audience went against me and raised their voice. They asked me how could I speak about peace alone in my films. Then I informed them that I would highlight love, peace, and unity in my films. In due course, I shared with them my dream venture to conduct a `Global Peace Film Festival' which impressed one and all gathered there. All of a sudden, I became the center of attention and people jostled one over another after the program to get my business card and get my details. At this juncture, the Peace Federation came up with a unique offer to extend support and become partners with me in the Global Peace Federation. This paved way to three different film festivals and I realized that it would become complex in my series of events. Armed with loads of energy and enthusiasm, I decided to get back to India immediately and work rigorously. Until then, there must have been just 1000 short films, 100 films on love, besides films on horror and music made over a decade"

The first `13th Global Film Festival' highlighted themes such as `love, peace, and unity' while `children' became the center of focus in the second film festival while `documentary films' occupied center stage in the third film festival. "I realized that the festival had got constricted to a small zone while I dreamt of being on par with the Global Film Festivals around the world and I decided to have many segments. The fourth Global Film Festival comprised of all the segments possible. We had films on peace, children, mobile, disability, Hindi panorama, foreign films, director’s retrospective, country focus, etc. The gamut of the festival included a variety of events, workshops, seminars, interactions, talks, besides the release of posters, new films, and the launch of new films for three continuous days. We also held the Mahatma Gandhi Film Festival, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Film Festival besides Shakespeare Society on Nov 12th, 13th, and, 14th respectively. The festival ended with the Children's Day celebrations. The events held during the day time became such a big hit that the whole extravaganza looked like a mega Film Festival."

He continued, "The fifth film festival became so huge that the IFFI administration extended a huge round of applause to our organizational skills which enamored the viewers of NCR and kept them busy, occupied, and entertained. Earlier, IFFI had conducted the festival on a large scale in NCR but shifted to Goa in 2004. We got an added advantage due to this paradigm shift of location as it created a huge vacuum in NCR. This huge void prolonged till the time we started the Global Film Festival on a massive scale. We had a huge line-up of movies shown in a professional set-up while other festivals could screen just six films in Delhi. Our festival became a source of inspiration and attracted film aficionados from Delhi and NCR. I realized that most of the internationally acclaimed film festivals had become popular due to their names being prefixed to the festival such as the Berlin Film Festival, New York Film Festival, etc. I too wanted to make Noida famous as it formed the base for the film city which created us. We did not have to look back with our value-added services."

The advent of the pandemic did not become a deterrent to the Global Film Festival as the connoisseur of films, Sandeep Marwah did not restrain himself to fate but ensured that it happened online. "We

conducted the 13th edition of the Global Film Festival online and organized 20 events with the active participation and involvement of 60 countries with 200 speakers. About 500 media personnel attended the event where 800 films were screened in the presence of 1, 25, 000 participants. About four lakh people made a personal visit to the site and it became the biggest festival in the world at a time when most film festivals were canceled. There were 10 events conducted on the webinar and relayed simultaneously on tv. The sessions in the webinar highlighted our tremendous growth in the past 14 years ever since its inception in 2007. GFFN.org is our official website that gives a sneak peek into our multifarious activities. We could not have a film festival in 2008 due to financial constraints. In 2009, we held the second edition which dealt with documentaries. In the third edition, we had children as our focus."

Lockdown did not restrict Sandeep Marwah who ensured that classes took shape online. "We began our online classes in March which goes on till today. Certain restrictions were mandatory during the pandemic and so one-and-a-half hours class got reduced to one hour. We restrained our classes to three hours in a day as that would be the maximum attention span of students. We inculcated stories, short films, theory classes, compilations besides practical demonstration with still cameras in the webinars and conducted events through zoom. In one of our webinars, we brought a man who went to the moon! Charlie Duke had recently traveled in Appollo 16 to the moon in October and he narrated his trip and how he collected stones from the moon."

With the new academic session in place, students are encouraged as usual to adhere to the art of listening. "We advise students to listen and gain knowledge We tell them not to google and give references so that they become voracious readers. As of now, 3000 students have benefitted from our 120 webinars held in India and overseas when other webinars hardly have 37 people in another chamber which I had attended recently."

In-between the run around for different paraphernalia to educate students and conduct film festivals, Sandeep Marwah ensures that he attends other national and international film festivals. He is keen to observe and learn as to how events are organized and how they get that wonderful footfall, without a scope of error. As a swift learner, he then organized the three-day film fest of high stature here. "We became the first film school to organize the three-day film fest of such high magnitude in the world even though there are about 125 film schools in the world. Film festivals are held but not many venture to 40 events with a footfall of 9000 people at that point in time."

Innovative by nature, Sandeep Marwah began the `International Festival of Cellphone Cinema' in 2007. "It all began when Karl Bardosh, a Master and Professor of Cinema in New York University who came to town and showed me his fancy mobile where he had made films at home. He shared his full-fledged films made on his mobile in the institute also. We decided to recreate the same experience and shoot films on mobile. We wrote the script and shot extensively lengthy films in Noida as well as New York. And I became the first Indian to shoot a film on mobile and edit it after the completion of the film. Viewers were taken aback by the films that we had made. We instructed students of AAFT as well as ASMS to shoot short films and submit them as part of their assessment. We received a few films and still photos from mobiles which gave us an idea about Cellphone Cinema Festival. Simultaneously, Bardosh shot films on his mobile in the US and sent them to the Indian students. This was how the `International Festival of Cellphone' came into

existence which became an annual festival. It earned a lot of fame as a film festival and even the recent 13th International Festival of Cellphone Cinema got many entries from around the world."

Sandeep Marwah's presence of mind to follow his US counterpart to make films on a mobile bore fruit and got him due recognition and honor as the `Father of Cellphone Cinema' from the Tisch School of Arts in New York City, three years ago. Hungary played host to the same festival in 2018 wherein Sandeep Marwah inaugurated the event.

"2019 witnessed the inauguration of the Cannes Film Festival of Mobile Cinema and as co-president of the festival, I screened all the short films that we had produced since 1993. Slowly, it became a fad to watch short films on mobile. We realized that we could bring a revolution in India and the world. We proved that we could shoot a film on the mobile and organized the first `World Festival of Films.' And, today the 13th International Film Festival is the oldest Festival of Mobile Cinema which we had created as pioneers.

the end

SANDEEP MARWAH CHAPTER NINE

Chapter 9 Vivacious by nature, Sandeep Marwah could never sit idle. “The time had come to launch the International Broadcasting Forum. Harsh Vardhan formulated its aims and goals and helped me go ahead. I gave him the entire responsibility of the unit, and he fits the bill perfectly as an administrative person. I then employed C R Chabra as students-facilitator, coordinator, and attendance.” Sandeep Marwah and Harsh Vardhan continued with their evening sessions with generation of new ideas. “Our daily discussion at 4 p.m. over a cup of tea made us venture out for new avenues. We started the International Children Forum and got into a tie-up with the Children Film Society of India, under the Ministry of I&B. Subsequently, we began the International Women Forum. We even discuss the AAFT Festival which is usually held once in every three months. This film fest reaches out to a larger audience, with a lot of information disseminated in the public domain.” One could attribute intelligence, loyalty, influential, cooperative. selflessness, straightforwardness to Vardhan. “He accompanies me to national events, embassy parties, get-togethers, functions and propagates Marwah studios in his capacity. He always helps me organize press conferences in Agra, Jaipur, and Meerut without any fuss or tantrums. He would call it a day from office only to return in formal attire to come with me to parties. He did not have qualms to stay late in the night in either the office or in diplomatic parties while I drop him back home. He considered the organization as bigger than an individual and to respect it like one’s parents. There are many more who support the organization wholeheartedly and consider it like their own.” To break from monotony, Sandeep Marwah ensures that he takes a break and chill out with his family. "I went to the US with my family on a holiday vacation in 2003. I got a pleasant surprise when I received an email from the newly formed Chattisgarh state. It said that they were about to formulate a new university, and those interested had to contact the aforesaid person mentioned. I got very excited and made a checklist of the requirements and told Harsh Vardhan to prepare the documents. I returned to India within a fortnight and told him to handle the project. I formatted an application with the help of Suresh Jangida and Vinay Kumar and submitted it to Raipur. They assessed our performance from 1993 to 2003 and after four months sent us a letter with instructions to fulfill the list of formalities. I read the list of requirements and got scandalized the applicant needed to have completed 10 years in the education sector, registered 25 acres of land in the society’s name, and deposited two crores in Chattisgarh. We just had a month to buy the land in the name of society and register it. We did it swiftly and created a board. And then I collected money from different quarters to add up to 2 crores. We then successfully submitted our forms within the stipulated time to Raipur.” Meticulous in his work, Harsh Vardhan ensured that he visits his daughter in the US once in every three years. “His daughter and her husband stay there. He takes two to three months off every year from work to enjoy some family time. It once became sheer coincidence that both of us were in the US on a vacation. He drove his car for about two hours to come from one end of New Jersey to another just to greet me. He expressed a desire that I meet his daughter and brother-in-law and I met both. A wonderful gesture from his side which made me very elated!” Vardhan and Sandeep Marwah follow a daily work routine from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. “We got involved in extensive research and re-designed the courses, as the academy would become a university soon. Until then, we only had only shortterm courses of three months or one-year but now we would have three-year courses. We had to change the syllabus, content, faculty, and reference books. The workload increased manifold as we got ready for the launch of the new courses. I became the VC while Vardhan the pro-VC of the new university in 2003. He got rejuvenated with the new post and university status. We needed extra space and so began construction in another part of the studio.” Meanwhile, Vardhan got promoted as Vice President of Marwah studio and he became more of a father figure after he assumed charge. “He became second in command and took pertinent decisions in my absence be it to splurge money or take action. I have high regard for this part-time consultant who made us take serious decisions over a cup of tea.” As an impeccable writer, Harsh Vardhan ventured out with his creative skills and wrote a book on Sandeep Marwah. “It read like a government document and not as a creative piece of work. Then he wrote about my accomplishments and accolades in the form of two brochures. We circulate these 100 pages to the foreign delegation and filmmakers to get an update about the academy. With an attractive cover, it became very popular and saved me the trouble to give an intro. It enhanced my skills and helped me get an entry into international forums. Vardhan then compiled and published the same brochures into a book format with a particular pattern last year, rather a revised version.” With the rapid evolvement of Marwah studio, Vardhan became Pro VC from his earlier post as Director-Academics. “Sadan Malik stopped his visits to the institute while Suresh Jangida took over as Dean. Vardhan had started to age after he resumed work from 1996 and begun to become finicky. He began to differ in his opinion with Suresh Jangida in 2003. Artistic by nature, Jangida used to have files strewn around on his table and students' present in his room even at 7 p.m. though he had his reasons. Vardhan disliked it and wondered why files and students were found in his room after 4 p.m. after the institute shuts down.” Slowly, Harshan Vardhan’s infectious energy began to decline. “His active behavior slowed down while he mellowed down in energy and intellect but never lost his enthusiasm. He became temperamental when the staff were not punctual and picked up squabbles which made them panic which worried me. I advised him to take the much-needed rest and make lesser visits. He began to come once a week and then made it once a fortnight which later reduced to once a month. Till today, he visits us to give some sound advice as he is still abreast of the latest happening in the world of media. At the end of the day, it is his attachment with the place after 24 years of association with Marwah and 40 years of government service. We had given him due recognition at the `Global film festival’ wherein he got felicitated with the `Global Film Award for the Best Media Teacher’. He had always been associated with all the Global Film Festivals and ten other festivals organized by Marwah studios. He had wonderful innings with Marwah Studio and we always hold in him high regard and blessings.” The End

SANDEEP MARWAH STORY CHAPTER EIGHT

Chapter 8 Money could never be a deterrent for Harsh Vardhan’s resolve to share his passion for work after retirement. His offbeat gesture to drop a short and sweet note with the security guard left an indelible mark. His long journey with DD and FTII held him in good stead, as a formidable mentor for a new film institute. “Harsh Vardhan had left a terse note with the security guard and expressed a wish to instil his wisdom and knowledge into the film academy, without money as a constraint. With requisite exposure as Chief Engineer in DD and FTII for over two decades, he craved to share those experiences with the film academy. He left his personal number and we fixed an appointment within three days for a tête-à-tête in my office. Short in stature, he appeared very sensible and, mature with a good command over the English language. He joined as a part-time consultant with two weekly visits at a time of his choice. He made six visits in the first month.” Harsh Vardhan’s cabin came in close adherence to Sadan Malik which made the septuagenarian very insecure and think that he would get replaced. “I had to reassure Sadan Malik that he occupied a special place as a part-time consultant in AAFT, while Harsh Vardhan had been employed to upgrade the academy. I made a clear demarcation that Harsh Vardhan would handle courses related to sound based on his previous track record as HOD in the sound department of FTII while Malik would add to the list of faculty members with his earlier work experience in DD.” Within a short time, Harsh Vardhan began to make frequent visits to the academy due to his intense passion for work. “I told him that I would not be able to pay him extra money. He assuaged me with his reply that money did not matter to him except his work. He paid close attention to the nitty-gritty’s and worked out a perfect model discernible in the changes in the academy. As a job coordinator, he kept a close vigil on all the developments on the campus and exercised his communication skills to improve the language at the International Film and Television Club, Marwah Film Production and International Research Centre. His good command over the English language won him the coveted `Writers award’ and had been to France on a scholarship. He even improved Suresh Jangida’s language within two months.” Sleek and elegant cabins of Sadan Malik, Harsh Vardhan, and Suresh Jangida lined up in a row in the basement. Malik got designated as Dean, while Harsh Vardhan became Associate Dean and Suresh Jangida, Coordinator. “Harsh Vardhan changed the language in the prospectus to make it more suitable for the studio. He tapped powerful sources and roped in the former Director of FTII, L P Shah, and the former Head of Production, Jagath Murari. Both were very senior members with one-and-a-half decades of work experience, with the FTII. Jagath Murari became the first postgraduate in Indian cinema to fly to the UK, followed by LP Shah. Jagath Murari had been the longest Director from 1962 to 72, while LP Shah taught production in FTII. Both came to us through Harsh Vardhan. All three were FTII products who taught me as to `what is required and not required to run a school. I desire to have more such members with that caliber.” As a voracious reader, Harsh Vardhan gained immense knowledge which made him very confident. “Harsh Vardhan followed a daily routine wherein he devoted two hours for reading and two hours for brainstorming sessions with me in the evening. He used to jot down the pertinent points of the discussion. This daily rendezvous resulted in our joint publication of 18 books on various topics such as editing, direction, camera, etc which added to our popularity and prestige. Vardhan used to assimilate, collect, and write the syllabus for the book. His huge contributions were discernible even before the launch of the Sevaram Marwah library. Satish Kaushik inaugurated the library which created a flutter among students who began to hang out amidst the pile of books and magazines. Vardhan spent most of his time in the company of books and so I made him library in charge. He would always prepare himself before any topic of discussion and conduct a thorough research before the scheduled meet. He would keep in constant touch with the faculty members and pay heed to their requirements and suggestions.” Armed with optimism, Harsh Vardhan carried an attitude as if he owned the institute. “He never tried to flatter me or get into my good books but even pinpoint mistakes which others never dared to do. He expressed his true self and adhered strictly to the rules and regulations, be it for admission or hostel accommodation. He made intelligent rectification and upgradation and even improved the language on the website. He would make practical demonstrations on paper and give expression to my ideas and belief. Some brought to my notice his ill-behaviour in his earlier workplaces in DD and FTII but I realized that this man always stood for his rights. I became more confident with his presence in the institute and got more inclined to adhere to his decisions.” Slowly and steadily, Sadan Malik began to lose importance even though he remained the senior most staff member and favorite of Sandeep Marwah. “In due course of time, he found it difficult to commute from Greater Kailash daily and became tired due to his age and opted to reduce his weekly visits. He began to leave very early and I reminded him that it is a full-time job. But to ease things out for him, I shifted him from Dean to Director of academics and he became a part-time consultant. He began to organize seminars based on his previous experience as VC in Jamia Millia. And I designated Harsh Vardhan as a full-time Dean.” The End

SANDEEP MARWAH STORY CHAPTER SEVEN

Seventh chapter! Often, the men who work behind the scenes of an affluent company neither proclaim their laborious work nor do the owners owe their allegiance to them. But Sandeep Marwah stands supreme with his due diligence to Vinay Kumar for the irrefutable reputation of Marwah Studio as the best resort for filmmakers, without the apprehension about requisite paraphernalia. His meticulous plan and elan besides entrepreneurial experience have made him carve a niche. “I call him Vinay Saab as a mark of respect for his age. He made an entry when the land had just been allotted and plans sanction for studio construction. He had a fascination for cinema and creativity and joined as a part-time manager in 1988. Initially, his work began with daily visits to the site for just 15 minutes for a small payment. And when we had the bhumi puja, he made all the arrangements for the puja samagri. The Noida Chairman, OSD Rita Sinha, and my brother besides my family attended the rituals. One could see acres of empty, barren land without a single building in sight. We were the first ones to initiate construction in that area under the able supervision of Vinay who would unfurl the doors early morning and wind up late evening or night, based on the shoots. He had no knowledge about the media or the entertainment industry, but stood distinct with his sincerity, dedication, and punctuality and has now completed 34 years.” In the first stages of his career, Vinay Kumar used to begin his arduous journey early in the morning from Gurgaon and commute to Noida. “He had to undergo a hectic journey and spend two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening, just to travel. He had to leave early as he had to change three buses to reach our studio. Conveyance, a rarity in those days led to lesser traffic, but the journey became quite tiresome. So, I persuaded him to shift from Gurgaon to Noida and he did likewise and sold his house and bought another one in Noida. Gradually, he became part and parcel of day-to-day activities and became all in all wherein the entire studio revolved around him. Whoever knew me would know him. One could attribute politeness to him. People would walk into the studio without an appointment as they were confident of his goodwill gesture. A wonderful host, who becomes a facilitator, arbitrator, organizer, and manager based on the situation. He had contacts of the entire film industry.” Within a short duration, Vinay Kumar excelled in his managerial capacity to give all the probable equipment required for a shoot and not hamper the shoot. “Shoots could go on till the wee hours of the morning and so we set up a canteen to satiate the hunger pangs of the crew members. We gave strict instructions to the canteen staff that they had to be very alert and be ready to face any sort of eventualities be it the crew’s arrival at odd hours or demand more food than ordered or ask for food never ordered. Slowly, we realized that the crew members were never satisfied with a particular cuisine and we did not want this to come as an impediment in-between the shoots. So, we arranged caterers to appease their taste buds in sync with their choice of cuisine.” Transport became another challenge for those who came to explore the Film City. “There were no cars, autos, scooters on the road except empty roads and the ones seen were either from Delhi or private ones. I decided to arrange some means of transport and approached the Noida Chairman along with Vinay. I requested him to operate a bus for the convenience of passengers who visited the Film City. He said he would run it on an experimental basis initially and only continue if he gets the requisite footfall. Two minibuses were introduced and our studio became the terminus from where buses emanated and ended. These buses would take a tour of the entire Noida within two hours. The buses operated five times a week and lasted for three months as there were not many takers as students used their conveyance. Noida Authority realized that it incurred losses and stopped the bus services, even though it had become convenient for a few. But we decided to overcome this shortcoming and introduced buses in 91 with Vinay in charge.” Meanwhile, with a reduction in the workload, life became less of a challenge for Sandeep Marwah after Vinay Kumar moved bag and baggage to Noida. “For the first five years, I used to leave early in the morning and had to travel from Greater Kailash to Noida. Neither were there Nizamuddin nor Kalindi Kunj or toll bridges then. But after Vinay arrived in Noida, he used to walk in early to unfurl the doors of the studio and wind up late in the night and offer the best service. After 20 years, I moved out of Greater Kailash to Sainik Farms after the launch of the 28th batch.” Challenges have never been a hassle for Vinay Kumar, who faced all sorts of hardships with caution and preparation. He could easily adapt to different situations and work per the need of the hour. At times, he would become an arbitrator to sort out the differences during an altercation. “During a shoot, the atmosphere is usually very tense and expectations are very high. One actor would bring the requisite emotions and ready for the shot when another would not be able to perform. This leads to the pent-up emotions to turn into anger and ends up in an emotional outburst. Vinay and I had witnessed many tamasha’s like a director slap a lady actor who could not come to the present moment or altercations between a director and producer, actor and director, or between the caterer and production controller. These are all candid shots for us. I usually stay away from such situations and direct those warring factions to contact Vinay, an expert to sort out differences. It is usually foolish fights, and nothing controversial. Vinay used to come in between such personal wars to console and, settle them amicably.” Over time, Vinay Sharma became a master craftsman who could cater to all the tools desired by a filmmaker and even offer a substitute for a light man. “He used to address each concern of theirs and send mails in advance to know their requirements. He could easily line up 20 people besides 5 sound recordists, 5 make- up artists, crane operators at short notice at a time when there were no mobiles or computers. He made my job easier and comfortable and built a good image of the studio amidst filmmakers that anything and everything required for a film crew offered on a platter. He even used to take up the responsibilities of the production controller and manager.” With consistent exposure to the intricacies of film shoots, Vinay Kumar got immensely influenced by actors that he enacted in small roles in a few TV serials. “Initially, he obliged to make a few appearances in a few episodes out of courtesy when they wanted a person in the backdrop of a particular scene. He fits in perfectly and even got complimentary credit along with our studio’s name. He had learned the tricks of the trade and could not resist the temptation, to appear before the camera. These short appearances enable him to get some spiritual satisfaction in-between work. Very soon, he got typecast as an elderly person in serials without any dialogue delivery. He has done silent roles in many TV productions besides featured in the diploma films of students. He enjoyed his roles in serials, movies, and diploma films.” Outdoor shots were also a regular feature in the studio organized by Vinay Kumar. “A truckload of equipment along with four professionally trained light boys and four students gives immense scope for the latter to learn and get trained when they assist such outdoor shoots. Vinay built a good rapport with them and became very popular. Everything started and ended with him. He would organize inaugural functions, convocations, workshops while I would take care of the speakers and program. He would take responsibility for the management, auditorium, catering, and decoration. He knew exactly as to how to conduct events and very soon became an event manager. He used to carry a master list and do a check.” Sandeep Marwah used to spend his valuable time in different events. “Whenever, there were no scheduled shoots, Vinay and I wind up at around 7 p.m. and head towards different musical, artistic, or theatrical events. Earlier, there were many programs held in Mandi House, which we attended regularly and Vinay used to go home straight from there. This had become more of a routine for us.” As the studio progressed swiftly, Sandeep Marwah’s popularity reached enviable heights. “I began to get a number of invitations to become the Chief Guest for a variety of events such as cultural programs, discussions, panel meets, etc. It is good to have company when you go as a Chief Guest and Vinay used to accompany me. But at times, I have faced unprofessional behaviour from the organizers but I took it in my stride and attribute it to their lack of education. At times, one is not sure if the program is on schedule or not as no intimation would have been received to confirm the program. At 5.45 p.m. I receive a call to find out if I would make it for the 6 p.m. program. Whenever I arrange a program in my studio, I send a letter followed by an email to confirm the program. I would have posters set up on the walls around the studio and outside the gate. I would call the Chief Guest and fix the time and get ready. In sheer contrast, is the organizer here who would have met a small-time actor like Raja Bundela on his way and welcome him to the program. He would even introduce him as the Chief Guest when I would have been called to do the honors. I would sit in front row as Chief Guest and suddenly would be elevated as the Guest of Honor. Vinay and I had been witnesses to many such incidents. You cannot change the world so you change yourself.” He narrated another instance that sounded all the more ridiculous. “I had once reached the venue ten minutes in advance and waited patiently to light the lamp as the Chief Guest. After about ten minutes, actor Raza Murad walks in and the crowd gets all excited. He has been taken to the stage while I am seated in the front row. He sees me from the stage and asks for a mike and tells the organizer that I should light the lamp. And the organizer swiftly comes to pick me up and leads me to the stage. Instances like these have taught Vinay and me lessons that we never do such misakes in our programs when the Chief Guest is either the Governor or the Minister or an MP when he is on the dais. We try to conduct our programs without any flaws.” The end 

SANDEEP MARWAH STORY CHAPTER SIX

Chapter 6 An array of awards bestowed upon Sandeep Marwah made Asian Academy of Film & Television (AAFT) institute come out from the confines of obscurity and emerge hog the limelight as the top film institute in north India. The wide publicity given in the media became on par with the Doon Valley School in Dehradun which emerged from underground after Rajiv Gandhi’s ascension to the post of Prime Minister. Quality education infused with hard work left an indelible mark on the onlookers and media which gave due applause and support. Due recognition came in the form of awards as it completed 15 batches in five years. “I will never forget my first award which I received in Siri Fort. I received a letter and got a pleasant surprise to find my name among the list of awardees for the `Sakha’ the award, given annually by a musical organization. I became very nervous as I considered it as a very big and expensive award. I did not know whether to speak or not on this big day of mine. I felt elated and elevated as if I got the Padmashri when they announced my name in front of a huge congregation of artists and veterans from various fields.” Siri Fort can accommodate 1870 guests at one time. “I felt this new experience as beyond excellence and comparison. The awards were given to those who’s who in different fields and this added a tinge of glamour and dignity to my life. I realized that someone had noticed my hard work within a short time and decided to honour me. I recalled my Dad’s advice that if one worked hard, recognition would automatically follow from the concerned industry and government. I followed it religiously and realized that honest work gets paid. I recalled the saying `Bin maange mothi miley, Maange miley na bheek! I am eternally indebted to Amarjit Singh Kohli and other dignitaries on stage on that momentous occasion.’ The first award always leaves an impression on the receiver’s mind. “I realized the value and importance of the award. I got motivated with an award in my room as it made me feel like the best honour given to my institution. It charged me and challenged me to get more awards. From childhood, I have this habit to wish to collect cars when my Dad gave me one after another. In-School, I ensured that I got all the awards from all departments be it recitation, elocution, poetry, music, drama, quiz, Scouts, NCC, trekking, etc. Destiny wanted me to be a winner and so I always wanted to be on the top and never settle for the second place. I heard that the seat on top is always vacant. I recall my Dad’s advice that if one puts his sweat and blood into the best option and work within the constraints of available resources and time, he can occupy the vacant seat amidst highly designated dignitaries. Awards are manifest with one’s goal that highlights the huge efforts taken to enforce them. I got inspired by the first award event in 2000 which gave me good recognition, I vowed not to compromise with my work.” Word of mouth about the award function spread like wildfire in Noida which did wonders for Sandeep Marwah and his studio. “You get invited on stage and the news spreads faster than the wind. Journalists gave me wide publicity which led to an increase in activities manifold in my studio followed by many more awards. Earlier, news reports stated that the Noida Film City had failed miserably but now along with the negative reports, two lines are added at the end that the Marwah studio had become the hub of all activity. By now, the other states in the neighborhood started to applaud and honour me. This attracted the attention of many filmmakers who made innumerable inquiries and began to book our studio for shoots. In addition, we got many calls to book our studio from down south like Madras, Hyderabad, and Trivandrum besides Maharashtra, Orissa, and West Bengal who too joined the bandwagon. Our studio got booked for indoor and outdoor shoots.” In 1997, Marwah Studio got to work for a mega project and erected huge forts for the backdrop of the songs for the Hindi film `Dil Se’. “We had worked for months to create five to seven mega sets for this film’s shoot. The huge unit consisted of film director Mani Ratnam, cinematographer Santosh Sivan, actors Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala, etc who landed in our studio. The stars were professional who would come straight from their hotel to the studio and apply make-up in their vanity vans before they revise their dialogues and appear before the lights and the film director.” On the other hand, students went berserk with the sudden entry of megastars of their era in their studio and did not want to attend the regular classes. “The Studio became the center of attraction as the top stars zoomed in and out of the campus and added color to the institute. Our specialized designs were discernible in the fort which we created along with a pond for a song in the film. A huge crowd had gathered and Manisha Koirala refused to shoot the bath scene in front of them and the film crew. So, all of them were dismissed inclusive of the light boys who set up the requisite lights and the scene shot with just the cameraman, director, and the actors.” In due course, many other films shot in the studio. “I could not save money from these shoots as producers usually bargain a lot. But what matters and amuses me is the name, fame, goodwill, and coverage in the media besides the optimism generated about our studio. I offer all the facilities to be on par with the Mumbai film industry. Other studios in the Film City are dull and struggle without personnel and management except for a Manager who does not understand cinema and has no knowledge about it.” Amidst this busy schedule of classes and shoots, Sandeep Marwah takes time out to update the media on the different circumstances which have impacted cinema and its paradigm shift to different locations besides of course his studio’s contribution. He is more of a mentor to the students, and professors, and the locals. “I requested Doordarshan to conduct a class in AAFT but found that they were up to date on TV but not cinema. I had to tell them the difference besides the use of bigger lights and screens for cinema. This made me more popular as a veteran speaker on `cinema.’ And I shared my knowledge of cinema, feature films, and studio with the students and the public.” Another huge set had to be created for the Hindi film `Abhay’. “We erected big sets for the shoot which went on for eight days. Whenever stars are free, I make a request to them to meet the students. Naseeruddin Shah, Amrish Puri, and Dev Anand, etc left their shoot to interact with students in their class. With this interaction, students get an opportunity to study them when they are on campus. We have a special gallery set up for students to watch the stars shoot but the stars cannot see them. I get permission from the film crew for the student spectators. Many times, students were made part of the film by the director, cameraman, and producer. This adds value to their course and makes them part of commercial projects. It is happy to watch their involvement which remains etched in their memory forever in their life.” Marwah Studios organized many other known and unknown outdoor shoots from his premises. “One requires immense stamina to cope with the indoor shoots and then be ready to watch the equipment return in bad shape after the outdoor shoots. It might be used in mud, rivers, hills, or some odd or even place. Even though more than 100 films were shot, one does not make money at the end of the day as producers negotiate and bring down the prices. Most of the time, your name does not appear on the credit list, as it is forgotten or missed. Once the name of a person involved in an outdoor shoot got a mention while neither my name nor studio’s name did not figure in that list.” The film institute conducts many case studies from time to time. “Ravi Sareen is the case study of a librarian from Ghaziabad who joined my studio as an office boy and got elevated as a clerk, assistant manager, manager in charge of outdoor shoots, businessman and film producer. Noida Authority had recommended him as a crazy film buff who needed a job. He had to close down his library with over 100 video films after the Piracy Act came into force in India. He joined me after the inauguration of the first batch of AAFT. He used to sit right outside my office and build a good rapport with everyone who came to meet me. He learned filmmaking from my studio. He worked very hard and I offered him the job of a `crowd supplier’ for film units and take the profit. He did a fabulous job after he supplied 1000 junior artists for an entire train shoot sequence for five days for the Hindi film `Sirf Tum’ directed by Boney Kapoor. He earned a good commission and I continued to give him different films which continued to give him good business and money. I used to offer him excess equipment but he booked third-party equipment and gave it at a lesser rate to the film crew and made money on the side.” Over a while, he lost interest to work in the studio. “I told him that he can’t do justice to both if he continued in this manner. By then, he had developed very good contacts and so I told him to go ahead and establish himself. He arranged all the facilities required for a film and expanded his vision. He began to book hotels, vehicles, equipment, and worked as a `crowd supplier.’ He knew each need of the film unit. He bought his first car and kept the keys below my feet and dedicated his success to me. I blessed him as I wanted all of them to progress. I did not hold any grudge or complaint against him even though it did affect my business in a big way. I lost huge outdoor bookings for films.” Sandeep had not foreseen any other form of competition but got a shocker when it came from unexpected quarters. “Students visit the suburbs, outdoor, private, government offices with their résumé and give our reference. They then strike a deal and offer cheaper rates from the same business places I get work from and set up themselves. They do not have overhead charges and just carry a catalog. In comparison, I have a huge setup and my expenses are high, so I have to keep up the price. I lost even the corporate and ad films to them as the offices and ministries are the same. But I took up the challenge and increased the courses and students and improved my infrastructure to incur losses and increase my expenses. I became optimistic about their performance as it brought a good reputation to the film institute and used their names as selling points.” Marwah Studios continues to grow despite the severe setback to complete 25 batches. “Media had given wide publicity to my awards that others felt it could be a lucrative business and opened tiny film institutes. But without a film studio, equipment, film personalities, and a production house they were handicapped and did not succeed. Even after seven years, they are yet to get recognition as they have no caliber to run it. They do not have overhead charges too and so work for three to six months and then close down. On the other hand, we have created history in the world of films and celebrated our silver jubilee with much fanfare. Now, we have completed 27 batches and it is an achievement. The end

SANDEEP MARWAH STORT CHAPTER FIVE

Chapter-5 Marwah Studios has become synonymous with an impeccable reputation as an academy that trains connoisseurs of films, within a short time. With the pass-out of students every three months, it churns out a huge number of qualified students in different aspects of film making. The modus operandi is the same with every batch, with new modifications in the architecture and new recruitment of faculty and production units. Each batch springs a new surprise to the film visionary who takes immediate action to suit the requisite need-be it infrastructure or course structure. Sandeep Marwah has good reminiscences from the fifth batch, which became a game-changer, rather a turning point in his life. “I always felt that men are better at work. But I had a complete change of mindset after the timely intervention of three young students at the nick of time when I had a situation in hand. They were good friends of mine who offered their services to deck up the institute for the convocation the next day. I wanted to do a complete makeover of the event away from the routine, but my staff had already left. Some big dignitaries were expected and these girls segregated the files, covers, nameplates, and tents and adorned the institute for the next day’s event. I got flabbergasted with their sincerity, dedication, and meticulous work. This incident made me change my perception towards women and inspired me to start the `International Women’s Forum.’ He took challenges in his stride and handled adversities with a lot of care and patience. “I owe my gratitude to the International Film and Research Centre which gave me an insight into different attitudes, perceptions, and behavioral patterns. Students not only made me more sincere and active in my work but also handle different situations. Many have asked me as to how I handled a contractor, film director, student, and a rambunctious girl, at the same time.” It so happened that a student had come late to the class and the teacher did not permit her inside. “The student got very upset and approached me. She got hyper as she complained to me. I calmed her down and brought down her temperament. Situations like these honed my skills to face different strata of society with ease and perfection. These life situations instilled undulating courage and confidence in me, to start afresh an initiative to activate the mental faculties, a Books library.” Gradually, the library became very popular in the whole of NCR due to its good collection of books on films, cinema, TV, media, art, and culture. “I named the library after my late grandfather, Sewaram Marwah whom I held in high esteem even though I had not met him as he passed away in Peshawar. Once every three months, I allocate a small budget to buy books and upgrade the library. Today, our library will accede to not only our students but also others to exercise their brain and even borrow books for a few days.” The institute grew from strength to strength with the emergence of new batches and the library. “Within a year and a quarter, five batches were over. From the tenth batch onwards, we increased the number of seats. And over time, I decided to increase the size of the institution. My studio hosts my film institute at no cost pay or else it would have been a loss. I planned to have a huge infrastructure, ready even before the need arises for space to train the students. So, I submitted a plan which got sanctioned within four months. After the completion of the formalities, I applied for a bank loan which took three months to be approved. Construction costs were quite high at that time, but I somehow managed. We then invited Shobha Narayanan to become the Chief Guest for the inauguration of the 12th batch. And after this event, the badminton court got converted and construction began for the new building.“ Sandeep Marwah watched the classes with rapt attention for one year before he made a foray into the world of education, as a teacher. “Sadan Malik became nervous and could not fulfill the requirements from the second to sixth batch. I garnered enough strength to don the role of a teacher in 1991 and continued till 1995. I valued the course and then began to share my struggle with real-life experiences from my student days in the world of theatre, tv, cinema, and studio. These lessons were true life incidents taken from my life from 1975 to 1995 as it had unraveled in my life. Initially, I began to take two lectures and extended it to five lectures from the eighth batch after I acquired more confidence.” Students got carried away by his veracious narrative. “They became very interested in my class and did not miss a single line. They were not ready to leave the class which instilled a lot of confidence in me. I realized that I could spell magic and create wonders, which made me more passionate about my sessions. My idea to support education through my institute became a reality. My classes became an armory where I gave students the mantra to use the sword and win a battle.” Students worked overtime after they got to listen to his trials and tribulations. “They adored me to such an extent that they would inquire as to why I had not come to the class that day. I had to compensate for it and conduct the class after official business hours. Students would wait outside the building, driveway, garden, staircase, or below a tree to meet me. Later, it became a ritual to interact with them before I leave the premises at 6 p.m.” Earnest about his desire to impart education through his real-life incidents, he began to streamline them into a program. “I bifurcated them into classwork, workshop, homework, and assignments which gave a fresh look to the class. I began to teach for 20 consecutive days and got completely immersed in the teacher’s profession. The first orientation consisted of one outsider’s class and two of mine.” Orientation time got rectified from three to two and then three weeks, to counter Sadan Malik complexities. Official business hours were extended from 10 to 4 p.m. from the 12th batch onwards. “I noticed that students prolong their stay on the campus even after the classes are over and do not want to go home. Infectious energy pervades the whole atmosphere which is perfect for students to gain some positive vibes. The more a student sticks around the campus the more chances that he learns. The whole environment contributes to his or her knowledge.” “ Students were made to realize that this is an industry-based relation and contacts are very important. “If one student makes it to the film arena, then he can employ five others from his institute. So, we inculcate this habit to build a good rapport among themselves and create favorable situations besides the extension of the luncheon session. We provide them ample time for animated conversations to create a vision for their lives in the most lucrative ambience and spend valuable time in the library. Then reach home and think about their plans.” The twelfth batch became witness to the new infrastructure besides the inflow of films, books, screenings, and a club. This, besides Boney and Tutus studios, as part of AAFT. “It took one year of hard work to unravel the infrastructure and other facilities inside our campus. We began to screen films while our library provides more information to the Film and TV Institute.” It is more of a tradition in Marwah studio to add new books, cameras with every batch besides the up-gradation of the infrastructure. Students learn to shoot with cameras and identify as to how one shoot differs from another besides the different genres. “In this batch, we introduced a one-year course. With this new up-gradation, we offer PG Diploma in filmmaking after graduation and Diploma in filmmaking after Class XII. Two students joined this PG Diploma and I linked all the four courses. Three months each were devoted to acting, editing, cameras, and direction, which is one course after another within one year. Both the students became stars and got employed in channels. The fees for the one-year course used to cost Rs 40, 000 which has now been raised to Rs 2, 40, 000. This one-year program has 2000 hours program which is on par with the graduate program. Students get to learn three years portions within a year in an encapsulated form. The three months course is 500 hours, which is a one- year program in any other foreign institution.”

SANDEEP MARWAH STORY CHAPTER FOUR

Chapter 4 Marwah Film Studio & Academy creates exemplary lofty aspirations for students with fantabulous shoots and stupendous courses. Theory and practice complement each other and enhances the confidence level and personality trait of pupils. The studio is a concocted mix of students who hanker for a successful career and accomplished stars who inspire them with their ostentatious display of power. In close adherence to Marwah’s are Boney Kapoor and Tutu Sharma’s enclosures which are left to the purview of Sandeep Marwah. “Boney Kapoor has a huge studio compared to mine. I use this massive space to train students. I also have access to Tutu Sharma’s half-acre studio too. I had built the requisite infrastructure for both these studios. I still take care of their maintenance. Both appreciate it, as it enhances their name and goodwill.” In an ideal set-up, feedback matters the most to the creator of a studio of this size, as it can either boost a person’s ego or berate one’s fallacies. “I take feedback very seriously. The pass out students from the first batch gave some valuable suggestions for the infrastructure in AAFT, and we immediately rectified them, to their utter astonishment. Equipped with three months of adequate training and backed by a clearance certificate, 43 students got ready to compete in the job market. Good luck favoured this batch with the new channel invasion in India. Studios became the center of all activities to train and educate staff. This new turn of events helped me to get placement for all the students with good job prospects, in these new channels.” Sooner than later, Marwah had an introductory course with film stars to add some glamour and glitz to the classes besides the students’ opportunity to make their films. “Students of the first batch got ten days to shoot a film in a group before the end of the batch, for some practical exposure. Eventually, this led to `Marwah Film & Video Production’ in 1993, thanks to AAFT. This production house benefits and inspires students until today. Profit or business does not matter here except the high level of satisfaction one gets when a student becomes part of the film and walks out with that profile in hand.” This Production house occupies a pertinent place in the international arena as the largest producer of short films, about 2900. “After this elevation, we made this part of our system, curriculum, and marketing. In those days, a single short film's production would cost between Rs 30 to 40, 000. Our students pay a nominal fee of Rs 10, 000, and learn direction and production. Over here, students are happy with the consumer surplus that within three months of their enrolment they make a film before the course ends, as never seen before. I could sense a huge development in the film industry with the influx of qualified students who could become professional filmmakers. This made me feel more like a philanthropist.” Amid this elevation and jubilation, Dean Sadan Malik decided to call it quits. “He wanted to put in his papers and take complete responsibility for the bad planning and wrong assessment. He said he had never handled money in his career. With decades of work experience in Doordarshan and uplifted as the Dean of FTII, I wanted his expertise. So, I told him to continue to guide and support us. Our first batch collection stood at Rs 4, 30, 000 from 43 students while our expenses sky-rocketed to Rs 9, 00, 000 and we had to face a loss of nearly Rs 5, 00, 000.” So, Sandeep Marwah decided to take over the mantle from Sadan Malik, who had handled the curriculum independently till then. “I decided to step into the academic circle and work 24 hours. I advised my wife Reena Marwah to spend more time in the academy. She had begun to come to the academy from the first batch but had a tight schedule from 10 to 1 p.m. and did not work over the weekends. So, I asked her to help develop the academy on a larger scale and she agreed.” Meanwhile, the academy got ready to enroll new students and handle a lot of pressure. “We had four disciplines with 12 seats each to add up to 48 seats, in the second batch. We created two groups for the acting course and shortlisted about 58 students. The students followed the same procedure from the previous batch with new courses and faculty members introduced. We reduced the orientation time from four to three weeks and increased the quantum of business hours from 10 to 2 p.m. from this batch. We dropped the engineering course.” With the second batch, the academy became more systematic and immaculate in its approach and operations. “Our Dean Sadan Malik had got a good exposure by then. We invited well-known professionals to give presentations to the film industry. Meanwhile, we carried out certain changes in the infrastructure and equipment, as per the need. As is the practice, this batch too made films for the next batch, which laid the foundation for the infrastructure for the new production.” The public watched the professional films made by second batch students. Guests, Professors, and students from both the batches too viewed the films with them. A set of eight films was screened under the banner `AAFT Festival of Short Films.’ Sandeep Marwah wanted to introduce this festival to the film fraternity and classified them under the `International Film and TV Club. This became an instant hit and he retained it in a bigger set-up in the Marwah studio. By then, the time had come for the new set of students to make their foray into the academy. “It is a tedious task to shortlist 50 students from a huge turnout of 200 to 300 students accompanied by their parents, friends, or siblings. They come from different family backgrounds and differ in their thought process, language, culture, and communication. This face to face interaction intrigued me that I wanted to learn more about human expressions in the context of cinema, which has a wide reach through different segments. This made me come up with the `International Film and TV Research center’. This novel idea added another feather to Sandeep Marwah’s cap. Families from different walks of life with their educational background, language, and culture became the central topic of research. “After this, I extended my research work to good cinema and television production. This became the first project at the research center. I am very happy to proclaim with pride that I am the only researcher who has completed 65, 000 hours in media.“ The convocation day stood witness to a huge extravaganza with the studio decked up to receive some famous dignitaries A R G Kidwai, the Vice-Chancellor of Jamia, and Accountant General of India, and First Lady of the High Court, Leila Seth to name a few. “I conducted the convocation for both the batches as I had incurred a loss. I chose the discarded open-air theatre as it would form the perfect backdrop for this event. I wanted Anil Kapoor as the Chief Guest and approached him. I found it difficult to convince him as he peaked in his filmi career. He had not come to the studio for over six months. I informed him the convocation will have both the batch students, which excited him and he said he would come for the remarkable event.” By that time, word of mouth had spread about the gala convocation to the nearby studios, where work had just begun. Each time a film star arrived in the Film City, the news would spread to different sectors of Noida and people would swarm outside our studio. And as expected, the ecstatic crowd outside is complemented by the dignitaries on stage. Anil Kapoor came and stood witness to the huge assembled crowd which included 90 students, 100 parents, besides friends in the Film City. Students made a beeline to the studio despite their career commitments. “Well established students took out time from their career to come for the convocation. They still had high regard for me. I realized the role of a teacher in a student’s life as they could recall what they had learned three months ago. If you put your heart and mind into your studies, then it will be the lesson of a lifetime. I had not yet begun work as a teacher then but I could sense a change in my feelings, emotions, love, and respect when I met the students. A new feeling engulfed me for the first time.” -- This colorful event and rendezvous with students inspired Sandeep Marwah to expand his vision in the field of education. “My passion for cinema grew manifold while this huge congregation benefitted me as it became an eye-opener to my critics. Our true commitment and contribution to the field of education got due recognition from all quarters, except the detractors. A few critics which included a friend of Sadan Malik even came up with the accusation that he ran a racket. We invited all such critics to the studio and took them around the academy to introduce them to our syllabus to get first-hand information about our course, fest, club, research center, and convocation. It turned out as a visual treat for their eyes and got so impressed that they jointed my board.” --- Over time, classes progressed into the third, fourth, and fifth batches in the same pattern with changes in the curriculum, equipment, faculty, and visiting faculty. And by this time the studio grew manifold with a consistent film shoot. “The influx of new channels, shoots, shows, and programs became the order of the day with a huge demand for studios. Zee shot their first program `Dream Merchants’ with 52 episodes in our studio. In the summer of 93, they planned another new program `Aap Ki Adalat’ with well-known journalist Rajat Sharma. I knew Rajat, from Delhi University days when we had both fought elections together in 1975, for ABVP. We would talk about popular TV shows. Rajat got elected as a secretary while the DUSU president Vijay Kumar Goel went on to become a minister in the PMO.” Rajat needed space and confine himself to a room before the program. “We spent a lot of time to erect the huge permanent sets for Rajat’s program while the technicians set up the lights. Rajat had a good command over the language. It is easy to impress politicians to join the set, but how do we have a talk show without an audience? We had to run helter-skelter and gather people from Noida. At times, technicians and even our gardener sat in the show. We used to rope shopkeepers from Sector 18 and shoot with live television. Rajat had two shoots in a week and I arranged the audience for him. I used to even break the batch of 58 students from AAFT and seat them on the floor of the set. This benefited both as students got exposed to six hours shoot while Rajat got an audience without payment.” The end