WAFX-WAVES VFX Challenge West Zonal Round Held in Aptech Office, Mumbai

~The event marks the third on-ground leg of India’s largest VFX talent hunt, launched as a flagship event of the upcoming World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), scheduled to take place from May 1–4 at Jio World Garden, Mumbai~
~The WAFX-WAVES VFX Challenge is a nationwide celebration of creative excellence, forming a key pillar of the ‘Create in India Season 1’ campaign~

MUMBAI, 25 April 2025: The World Audiovisual and Entertainment Summit (WAFX 2025) WAVES VFX Challenge, a landmark initiative by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) in collaboration with Aptech Limited and ABAI, officially completed its West Zonal round today, held at the Aptech Limited office, Mumbai.

In the Student category, Aditya Kashinath Hadawale emerged as the winner, with Omkar Mahesh Kore as the runner-up. The Professional category saw Aadil Faruqui as the winner, followed by Balendra Prajapati in runner-up. Sachin Sahebrao Darwade was declared the winner in the Enthusiasts category. All category winners now advance to the Grand Finale at WAVES Summit 2025 in Mumbai, where they compete for prizes worth up to ₹5 lakhs and gain access to prestigious internship opportunities with leading VFX studios. These finalists were tasked with producing high-impact, 10–15 second VFX clips within an 8-hour window using a standardized creative toolkit. Following a rigorous online qualifier round that saw over 1,500 registrations from across India, 19 of the most promising VFX artists were shortlisted for the West Zonal finale.

The event marks the third on-ground leg of India’s largest VFX talent hunt, launched as a flagship event of the upcoming World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), scheduled to take place from May 1–4 at Jio World Garden, Mumbai. The WAFX-WAVES VFX Challenge is a nationwide celebration of creative excellence, forming a key pillar of the ‘Create in India Season 1’ campaign. Aligned with the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of positioning India as a global content creation powerhouse, the initiative aims to spotlight the country’s burgeoning VFX talent and empower a new generation of digital storytellers.

Centered around the theme ‘Daily Life Superhero’, participants were challenged to reimagine everyday moments through the lens of visual effects, blending imagination with technical mastery. Their work was evaluated by a distinguished jury panel comprising Asif Bhushan- CG Supervisor of Phantom, Ritesh Kumar-CG Supervisor of Jellyfish, Rakesh Herulakar-Lead of The Mill, Vidit Kundra- CG Supervisor of Assemblage, Samit Shetty-Technical Director of Autodesk, Vijay Selvam- CG Supervisor of MPC, Umesh Patel, Faculty of Aptech, Ashish Ranjan, Faculty of Aptech. These veterans from globally renowned creative studios at the forefront of immersive storytelling.

Speaking at the event, Mr. R.K. Chand, Secretary of ABAI, said, “Today’s zonal round in Mumbai is a testament to our achievements in a national journey that began four months ago with the launch of WAFX. From over 1500 entries, we’ve brought the best talent to this stage. The level of creativity displayed reflects the bright future of India’s VFX industry. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Aptech and the team for their partnership and to the Ministry of I&B for their continued support in making this initiative a reality. I would like to thank Mr. Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, for his invaluable support in bringing the ‘Create in India’ Challenge to fruition.”

“Aptech and its training brands have been pioneers in India’s vocational training and the creative education sectors over the last three decades. Our collaboration with ABAI for WAFX further strengthens this vision to fostering the VFX talent ecosystem. The WAFX Seminar Series is a crucial step in preparing students, aspirants, and creative professionals for the media & entertainment industry, giving them direct exposure to industry leaders and cutting-edge technology. A hearty congratulations to all the winners of the Zonal talent hunt and we wish them immense success in their future endeavours,” said Mr. Sandip Weling, Chief Business Officer, Global Retail Business, Aptech Limited.

The zonal challenge also featured participation and support from stakeholders, representatives from the Ministry of I&B, senior Industry Speakers and senior academic leadership from Aptech Limited, including Mr. Abir Aich, Executive Vice President (Head of Academics and New Technology), and leading creative professionals. The upcoming zonal round includes East Zonal on April 25, 2025, at SRFTI, Kolkata

Winners from each zonal contest will be flown to Mumbai to compete at the WAVES 2025 Grand Finale where the Grand Jury of National Award-winning VFX supervisors will choose and announce the National Winners. The WAFX Challenge continues its journey across India, identifying and celebrating the next wave of VFX innovators who will shape the future of India’s creative economy.