The worlds of advertising and cinema have always shared a creative bloodstream. Both thrive on storytelling, emotion and the ability to hold attention. The only difference is scale. One works in seconds, the other in hours.
Over the years, several Indian filmmakers have begun their journeys in advertising before moving to feature films. For some, it was always part of the plan. For others, it was a leap taken at the right moment. One such example is Ajay Gahlaut, former group chief creative officer, Dentsu Creative turned Independent Creative and Screenwriter.
Gahlaut, an advertising veteran, had given several noteworthy campaigns. These include the iconic 'Men Will Be Men' campaign for Imperial Blue, the Pan Vilas line 'Shauk Badi Cheez Hai' featuring Manoj Bajpayee, and the 'Do Boond Zindagi Ki' Pulse Polio campaign fronted by Amitabh Bachchan.
After 22 years across agencies such as Publicis, Ogilvy, Rediffusion, McCann Worldgroup and Saatchi & Saatchi, he decided it was time to explore a different creative path in cinema.
We spoke to Ajay Gahlaut, and this is how to conversation went..
Q] What prompted you to switch fields?
I wanted to explore a different form of creativity. I had done a long stint in advertising and while I enjoyed every moment of it, I wanted to try long form storytelling. And when the offer of writing a sequel to a cult film like Khosla Ka Ghosla came along, it was just too good to pass up.
Q] Was this always your plan or something led you to this change?
It wasn’t always my plan. Yes, I had thought about it intermittently but it wasn’t as if I had planned to move to feature films all along. It is my nature to take things as they come and I tend to go with what I feel at a particular moment rather than plan everything meticulously.
Q] Do you think it’s possible for others from advertising background to make this transition as well?
Yes, of course it is possible for advertising creatives to change streams. Lots of people have done this in the past and I’m sure they will in the future. Creative people are hard wired to constantly explore and experiment with different ways of expressing themselves.
Q] Would you say it’s a stepping stone to enter Films/ film making?
People have got into films from all kinds of professions. Shekhar Kapur was a chartered accountant, Nagesh Kukunoor was a chemical and environmental engineer. It’s all about passion. Yes for advertising people it is a more logical path into film making because we already work in storytelling and have experience with ad films."
Here’s a look at some notable names who transitioned from adland to cinema and reshaped the storytelling landscape.
1. Nitesh Tiwari
Before becoming a filmmaker, Tiwari spent nearly 18 years in advertising, including four years at FCB Ulka, three years at Lowe Lintas and 11 years at Leo Burnett. He eventually became Chief Creative Officer at Leo Burnett Mumbai before moving into films full time. During his advertising years, he worked on campaigns such as 'Chhote Match, Bade Sapne' for Reliance Mobile. In cinema, he went on to co-write and direct films like Chillar Party, Bhoothnath Returns, Dangal, Bareilly Ki Barfi and Chhichhore.
2. Dibakar Banerjee
Banerjee started out in advertising as a copywriter at Shems Combit before moving to TBWA Anthem. He later joined Contract Advertising in Delhi, where he worked with filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar. Even after moving into films, Banerjee has continued directing commercials. Over the years, he has worked on campaigns for brands such as Durex and Air India Express. His filmography includes titles such as Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Love Sex Aur Dhokha, Shanghai and Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! He also contributed to the anthology film Bombay Talkies.
3. Gauri Shinde
Before entering cinema, Shinde built a strong career in advertising. She worked with agencies such as IBW, Bates Clarion and Lowe Lintas, directing more than a hundred commercials and short films. Some of her notable campaigns include Ariel’s 'Share the Load', Tanishq’s 'A Wedding to Remember' and a global campaign for WhatsApp titled 'Cut It Out'. She made her film debut with English Vinglish, which marked the return of Sridevi to the big screen. Shinde later co founded Hope Productions with filmmaker R. Balki.
4. R. Balki
Before becoming a filmmaker, Balki served as Group Chairman of Lowe Lintas and was behind several memorable campaigns in Indian advertising. These included 'Daag Achhe Hain' for Surf Excel, 'Jaago Re' for Tata Tea and 'What an Idea, Sirji' for Idea Cellular. He later moved into filmmaking with Cheeni Kum and went on to direct films such as Paa, Ki & Ka and Pad Man.
5. Abhinay Deo
Deo began his creative journey in 1993 at Ogilvy & Mather and later worked with agencies such as J. Walter Thompson, Lowe, Taproot and Bartle Bogle Hegarty. One of his most celebrated works is the 'I Am Mumbai' campaign for Mumbai Mirror, which won a Gold Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2012. In cinema, he directed films such as Delhi Belly, followed by Blackmail and Force 2. He also directed the Indian adaptation of the series 24.
6. Prakash Varma
Prakash Varma, director and co founder of Nirvana Films, is widely known for his work in advertising, especially the iconic Vodafone Zoozoo campaign.
Over the years, he has directed commercials for brands such as Cadbury, Titan, Kerala Tourism and Indian Railways. In 2013, he produced the Malayalam film Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal. More recently, in 2025, he made his acting debut in Thudarum, playing CI George Mathan, a performance that earned critical appreciation.
From seconds to hours
The crossover from advertising to cinema is not accidental. Agencies demand precision, insight and the ability to evoke emotion within tight constraints. Films demand stamina, scale and sustained narrative arcs. For many creatives, the move is less a reinvention and more an evolution.
As these names show, adland continues to be a fertile nursery for filmmakers who understand both the craft of storytelling and the pulse of the audience.
