CININFO LAUNCHPAD 2025: From Vision to Reality
After an intense creative journey, Cininfo is thrilled to announce the three final selected members advancing to the next phase of development with our esteemed producers panel.
THE SELECTION JOURNEY
This achievement represents a rigorous, multi-stage process designed to identify and nurture the most promising storytellers:
- 150+ Applications → Comprehensive review and initial screening
- 7 Selected Applicants → Chosen for mentorship development through interviews and pitch briefings
- 3 Final Members → Selected after pitching to our producers panel, now advancing with story discussions and producer partnerships
OUR FINAL THREE: ADVANCING TO PRODUCER PARTNERSHIPS
VINOO
CHOLIPARAMBIL
Mumbai, Maharashtra
ABHAY
YADAV
Mumbai, Maharashtra
SHAHEEN
MUHAMMED
Kozhikode, Kerala
OUR SEVEN SELECTED APPLICANTS: THE MENTORSHIP COHORT
These seven talented writers were selected through rigorous interviews and pitch briefings to participate in our 5-6 week mentorship development program:
SHAHEEN
MUHAMMED
Kozhikode, Kerala
VINOO
CHOLIPARAMBIL
Mumbai, Maharashtra
RIGZIN
GURMET
Mumbai, Maharashtra
NIMISH
TANNA
Auckland, New Zealand
ANSHUL
AGRAWAL
Mumbai, Maharashtra
ADARSH
SINGH
Mumbai, Maharashtra
ABHAY
YADAV
Mumbai, Maharashtra
OUR PRODUCER PANEL
Tanaji Dasgupta is a Mumbai-based producer and writer, and the co-founder of Kindling Pictures, founded with Kiran Rao. He co-produced Rao’s Laapataa Ladies (2023), which premiered at TIFF and became one of Netflix’s most-watched Indian films after a 15-week theatrical run.
Tanaji has co-written and produced The Hungry (TIFF 2017) and produced Cat Sticks (Slamdance 2019 Jury HonourableMention). He also served as Head of Post Production for Chaitanya Tamhane’s The Disciple (Venice 2020), executive produced by Alfonso Cuarón.
An alumnus of Berlinale Talents, he focuses on stories that challenge and move audiences while collaborating with filmmakers pushing creative boundaries.
Nani Sahra Walker is an Academy Award winning executive producer and an independent writer/director. She produced the acclaimed short documentaries Kylie (Sundance, 2023), Merman (Tribeca, 2023) and The Last Repair Shop (Telluride, 2023), which won the 2024 Academy Award.
Nani is an alum of the ARRI International Support Program, Busan APM, Cine Qua Non Lab, SFFILM FilmHouse Residency Program and BAFTA. She is a lecturer at UC Berkeley’s renowned documentary program and mentors filmmakers at the U.S. Department of State programs American Film Showcase and Global Media Makers.
Tanvi Gandhi is an award-winning producer with over 20 years in film and over 25 acclaimed projects to her credit. A former Executive Producer at Yash Raj Films, she was the first woman to lead a major production there (Mardaani 2). Her other notable works include Queen, Super 30, Udta Punjab, Bombay Velvet, Vikram Vedha and Love Sex Aur Dhoka 2.
As Founder of House of TeeGee Productions, Tanvi has co-produced globally recognised projects such as Priya’s Mask (India’s first animated female superhero backed by the US State Department and UN Women) and international collaborations like Weight of Light (Estonia) ; and Tout là-haut (France) which she did while she was at Phantom Films. Named by Elle India as “one of Bollywood’s most powerful women,” she continues to champion bold, diverse, and underrepresented stories across borders.
MEET OUR ESTEEMED MENTORS
Manas Mittal is a Mumbai-based freelance film editor with over a decade of experience in fiction and non-fiction feature films and series. A graduate of Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, he is also an alumnus of Berlinale Talents and the Asian Film Academy. His work has been showcased at major film festivals and released both theatrically and on platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. He has collaborated with renowned filmmakers such as VishalBhardwaj, ImtiazAli, DibakarBanerjee, and Konkona Sen Sharma. He is currently working on the Netflix series OSaathiRe, produced by Window Seat Films.
Siddharth Diwan is an award-winning cinematographer and a graduate of the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, specialising in Motion Picture Photography. His debut feature, Peddlers, premiered at Cannes (Critic’s Week, 2012), and he later contributed to The Lunchbox, also screened at Cannes. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Cinematography for Queen and is known for his visually striking work in Netflix Originals Bulbbul and Qala. Recognised for his innovative and versatile style, Siddharth brings depth and emotion to every story he helps tell.
Nikhil Mehrotra is a film writer & director with a filmography that includes Dangal, Chhichhore, Gunjan Saxena, Panga, Mr. & Mrs Mahi, to name a few. Nikhil Mehrotra has written the story, screenplay and dialogues for all of the above feature films.
While Dangal remains the highest-grossing Hindi film worldwide and swept multiple awards, including Filmfare, three of his films (Chhicchore, Bhoothnath Returns and Panga) have also won national awards.
Before his foray into film-writing and direction, Nikhil had an advertising experience of 14 years, where he was the creative head for several advertising agencies and had led over 50 brands. Some of his advertising work has been on brands KBC, McDonald’s, Cadbury, Tata Sky and so on. And in his career, Nikhil has picked up around 50 metals for both creative excellence and effective communication at Indian and International awards.
OUR PRODUCER PANEL
Tanaji Dasgupta is a Mumbai-based producer and writer, and the co-founder of Kindling Pictures, founded with Kiran Rao. He co-produced Rao’s Laapataa Ladies (2023), which premiered at TIFF and became one of Netflix’s most-watched Indian films after a 15-week theatrical run.
Tanaji has co-written and produced The Hungry (TIFF 2017) and produced Cat Sticks (Slamdance 2019 Jury HonourableMention). He also served as Head of Post Production for Chaitanya Tamhane’s The Disciple (Venice 2020), executive produced by Alfonso Cuarón.
An alumnus of Berlinale Talents, he focuses on stories that challenge and move audiences while collaborating with filmmakers pushing creative boundaries.
Nani Sahra Walker is an Academy Award winning executive producer and an independent writer/director. She produced the acclaimed short documentaries Kylie (Sundance, 2023), Merman (Tribeca, 2023) and The Last Repair Shop (Telluride, 2023), which won the 2024 Academy Award.
Nani is an alum of the ARRI International Support Program, Busan APM, Cine Qua Non Lab, SFFILM FilmHouse Residency Program and BAFTA. She is a lecturer at UC Berkeley’s renowned documentary program and mentors filmmakers at the U.S. Department of State programs American Film Showcase and Global Media Makers.
Tanvi Gandhi is an award-winning producer with over 20 years in film and over 25 acclaimed projects to her credit. A former Executive Producer at Yash Raj Films, she was the first woman to lead a major production there (Mardaani 2). Her other notable works include Queen, Super 30, Udta Punjab, Bombay Velvet, Vikram Vedha and Love Sex Aur Dhoka 2.
As Founder of House of TeeGee Productions, Tanvi has co-produced globally recognised projects such as Priya’s Mask (India’s first animated female superhero backed by the US State Department and UN Women) and international collaborations like Weight of Light (Estonia) ; and Tout là-haut (France) which she did while she was at Phantom Films. Named by Elle India as “one of Bollywood’s most powerful women,” she continues to champion bold, diverse, and underrepresented stories across borders.
Program Advisor :
Nikkhil Advani is a National Award-winning filmmaker from India. He is a director, producer, screenwriter, and co-founder of Emmay Entertainment and Motion Pictures, based in Mumbai. Advani’s feature films as a director include the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Kal Ho Naa Ho, Chandni Chowk to China, Salaam-e-Ishq, Patiala House, Batla House, D-Day, Vedaa, and Delhi Safari, among others. More recently, Advani has been creating extensively for digital platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, and SonyLiv. His work includes award-winning shows like Mumbai Diaries and Rocket Boys, and most recently, a web series based on Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins’s bestseller Freedom at Midnight. Advani also serves on the boards of non-profit organizations like the G5A Foundation for Contemporary Art and Culture, Bittu Sahgal’s Sanctuary Nature Foundation, Women in Film – India, and the Sumitra Gupta Foundation for the Arts (SGFA) — a foundation that supports creative and artistic projects across disciplines.
COMING SOON!
The unveiling of projects and writers that
have been greenlit for development.
For any questions or further information, please contact us at info@cininfo.in or call +91-9009004762. We look forward to welcoming you to the lab and to a future where your vision comes to life.