Los Angeles (California) [US], March 3 : Namit Malhotra, founder of Prime Focus, CEO of DNEG, and producer of the upcoming Ranbir Kapoor starrer 'Ramayana', has made history once again as his company bagged the Visual Effects Oscar at the 2025 Academy Awards for its work on Dune: Part Two. This marks DNEG's eighth Oscar win and India's seventh Academy Award victory.
While speaking to ANI, the producer not only expressed his excitement but also discussed how the company's track record of winning Oscars over the years is a "rare accomplishment" in the industry. He also thanked his team for their dedication and hard work.
"I think it's a terrific outcome. It's not just the eighth Oscar; it's also the fact that we've won seven Oscars in the last ten years, which I believe is a very unique record in itself. I can't imagine anyone else, or any other company, having had the good fortune to say that. I'm incredibly thankful and appreciative of all my artists, technologists, and filmmakers who have trusted us to reach this outcome, which I am immensely proud of," said Malhotra.
DNEG has been a dominant force in the visual effects industry, winning the Oscar for films like Dune: Part One (2022), Tenet (2021), First Man (2019), Blade Runner 2049 (2018), Ex Machina (2016), Interstellar (2015), and Inception (2011).
When asked about the secret behind DNEG's consistent success, Namit shared that the company always prioritizes the "director's vision" and mentioned how understanding the director's ideas and emotions plays a key role in delivering "high-quality visual effects".
"Now that we've had a few wins, a lot of people have asked me about our secret. Honestly, some of the most complex things are done in the simplest way, as they always say. The basic reality is that we've always been a company that prioritizes the director's vision. That's the core of how we operate," he said.
"The director is the captain of the ship, and we must capture every word, every nuance of what the director thinks, feels, and imagines. Our challenge is how to take that and apply it using our technology and artistry. To me, that's the most basic yet the most powerful way to create a seamless experience. Ultimately, most visual effects that win these Oscars are awarded not because of the stunning display of technology or talent, but because they seamlessly fit into the story," Namit added.
DNEG is a leading visual effects, animation, and creative technology company that has worked on some of the biggest Hollywood films. The award was accepted by DNEG VFX Supervisors Stephen James and Rhys Salcombe, along with Production VFX Supervisor Paul Lambert and Special Effects Supervisor Gerd Nefzer.