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Naren Multani to join Equinox Films
He will now direct ad films at Equinox Films, within the capacity of full-time director
Naren Multani is set to join production house, Equinox Films as full-time TVC director, with effect from today. He will be stepping out of his shoes as creative director (films), McCann Erickson, South Asia.
Equinox Films is famed for commercials such as Hamara Bajaj, Happydent White and Himani Fast Relief.
Multani studied law at K C College, Mumbai. He started his media career as part of the film department at Ogilvy, where he worked for the next seven-and-a-half years. He joined McCann Erickson subsequently for another seven-and-a-half years, initially as national head of films, and then as South Asia head of films.
"I have the seven-year itch," he quips on his move to Equinox. On a more serious note, he adds, "I'm taking this step, because I want to get into full-time direction. Sure, I was directing at McCann Erickson, but just around four to five ad films a year. The total output was 100-odd films annually, the direction for most of which was outsourced."
Commenting on the appointment, Manoj Shroff, executive producer, Equinox Films, enthuses, "Multani is at a stage in his career where joining a production house is the next inevitable step. He will join my team of directors -- Milind Dhaimade, Ram Madhvani, Vikash Nowlakha and newbie, Debashish Medhekar. His sensibilities match ours, and filmmaking is in his bloodstream as well as in ours. So, we're looking forward to a good blend at the workplace."
Apart from directing ad films, Multani, in an effort to chase his passion, has directed five short films, two mini features and a documentary. So far, these ventures have fetched him 90 nominations and 13 awards, internationally. He claims that he owes a great deal of his zeal and enthusiasm to direct and the consequent success to Prasoon Joshi, his mentor.
Currently, he is working on a feature film, titled The Plug, which is being scripted by a friend of his. This work-in-progress project is based in the year 2012, and revolves around Jim Morrison's grave.
Interestingly, Multani and Shroff were college friends at the Xaviers Institute of Communication; and will now be coming together professionally, after 18 years.