US-based director, Shyam Madiraju, sets up Gobsmack! India

Shyam Madiraju, the US-based commercial director, has made a foray into the Indian advertising industry with the launch of Gobsmack! India, his own production company. Madiraju has been the directorial push behind the Chevrolet Cruz campaign, due to be released soon, for which he worked closely with W+K India.

Madiraju has brought Kalpana Kutty on board as Gobsmack! India’s first hire. Kutty, who joins as an executive producer, spent close to eight years at Genesis Film Production working under the aegis of Prahlad Kakar. She was running her own production company, K Film Kompanie, just before joining Gobsmack! India and recently partnered with Madiraju, as a freelancer, for the Chevrolet campaign.

Madiraju has also hired Rohitash Rao and Ramesh Iyer, two US-based directors to be a part of the Gobsmack start-up team.  “India is at the epicentre of the seismic changes that are taking place in the landscape of advertising,” said Madiraju. “Both clients and agencies are seeking international talent and on the other hand are creating very bold and ground-breaking work that has potential to be exported world-over.”

Interestingly Madiraju has just signed a deal with Curious Pictures, the New York-based entertainment power-house that creates and produces television programs, commercials, on-air graphics, toys and games for audiences worldwide. As part of the deal, Gobsmack! at Curious Pictures will ensure representation for its Indian directors in the US. “We are in negotiations with two other premier US production companies to sign with us,” he said.

“We are a company that creates most compelling and appealing content that is media neutral,” explained Madiraju. “Besides bringing in world class directors and talent to India, we are keen to bring in a very original content driven collaborative process with both agencies and clients alike.”

Gobsmack! India will launch its website next week.