Varun Grover, First Act director Deepa Bhatia part of BAFTA Breakthrough India 2024

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) on Friday named lyricist-writer-director Varun Grover, filmmaker Deepa Bhatia, sound designer Dhiman Karmakar and six others among its emerging talents who will participate in the 2024 edition of its BAFTA Breakthrough India initiative.

Other participants of the India initiative, supported by Netflix, are Abhinav Chokhavatia, Game Producer Down and Out, Christo Tomy, director of Curry and Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case, Jaydeep Sarkar, showrunner and series director of Rainbow Rishta, Monisha Thyagarajan, who served as a producer for the series The Hunt For Veerappan, director-producer Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy, and Producer and developer Neeraj Kumar.

Jane Millichip, Chief Executive Officer, BAFTA, said this year they have a great emerging talent lineup.

"This year we have an amazing roster of casting directors, producers, writers, performers, lead artists, cinematographers, lead developers, and more," Jane said in a statement.

Deepa, who made her directorial debut with docu-series, First Act, said she feels honored to be recognized by BAFTA.

"This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team behind 'First Act'. It's a privilege to share the stories of these young talents and shed light on the challenges they face," said Deepa, who has worked as an editor on films like Kai Po Che!, My Name is Khan, and the documentary Sachin: A Billion Dreams.

"Thrilled to be selected for @BAFTA Breakthrough program this year," Varun posted on X.

The Breakthrough India participants were selected by a jury of industry experts including film producer Guneet Monga Kapoor, Vice President, Content - Netflix India Monika Shergill, veteran actor Ratna Pathak Shah, Palomi Ghosh actor and former Breakthrough India talent, filmmakers Rajiv Menon, Sangeeta Datta, Shonali Bose, Sushmit Ghosh, and Manvendra Shukul, CEO, Lakshya Digital.

Guneet, BAFTA Breakthrough India Ambassador and Jury Chair, said that the BAFTA Breakthrough demonstrates that there is no shortage of creative talent in India.

"It was extremely difficult to narrow down the pool of talented candidates. I can’t wait to see how this year’s cohort harnesses BAFTA Breakthrough’s opportunities to hone their craft," the producer said.

Monika Shergill, Vice President of Content, Netflix India, said the experience of nurturing talent has been "fulfilling".

"India is brimming with storytellers and this collaboration allows us to support emerging voices as they make their mark across industries in the creative landscape. Congratulations to this year’s nine Breakthroughs—we’re excited to see where this journey takes them," Monika said.

Throughout the year-long programme, the Breakthroughs will benefit from professional development while connecting with the academy’s global network of over 12,000 members. As BAFTA Breakthrough artists, they will be promoted on a global stage, gaining access to opportunities beyond Indian shores, it said.

As part of this programme, the Breakthroughs were provided with invaluable support in networking and learning from a global creative community, including experts such as Richie Mehta, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Phoebe Waller Bridge, Paul Laverty, Graham Broadbent, amongst others.