Started a decade back by legendary filmmaker Subhash Ghai, Whistling Woods International (WWI), https://www.whistlingwoods.net/ , was India’s first film and media studies institute started by the industry and for the industry. Under the leadership of President Meghna Ghai Puri, the institute has expanded and now has various schools under its umbrella namely; Filmmaking, Actors’ Studio, Media and Communication, Animation, Fashion and Design, Music, Vocational Education, Virtual Academy and Short Course Unit. All degree courses are ratified by one of India’s most reputed universities – The Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Located in Mumbai’s Filmcity, WWI has recently partnered with Prahlad Kakkar School of Business and Entrepreneurship.
Asia’s largest institute of its kind, WWI has gained international acclaim for its teaching methodologies and top-notch faculty from the industry. With weekly edu-connect initiatives like Master classes, 5th Veda cultural hub, and annual properties like Celebrate Cinema and Inspiration, WWI has been a pioneer in innovative methods of learning. ‘The Hollywood Reporter’ has rated Whistling Woods International as one of the Ten Best Film Schools in the world in 2014, 2013 & 2010.
These unique elements in the curriculum & the teaching methodology have seen WWI’s student profile growing over five times over the past ten years. Further, over 15% of the student body now comprises of International students, from the USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Italy, France, China, Holland, Bermuda, Nigeria and from several other countries who choose WWI over the multiple film-studies options available in their own countries.
The Institute is also highly committed to ensuring that its students move into the industry in creative and rewarding areas of employment. WWI alumni are currently working at several leading film and media organisations like Google, Big Synergy, Virgin Produced, Zee Entertainment Pvt.Ltd., The Culture Machine, NDTV Good times, Aamir Khan Productions, Anurag Kashyap Films, Balaji Telefilms, Dharma Productions, The Walt Disney Company India, Excel Entertainment, FoxStar Studios India, Mukta Arts Ltd, Phantom Pictures, Prime Focus, Rajshri Productions, Red Chillies Entertainment, Star TV, Technicolor, UTV Motion Pictures, Walkwater Films, Yashraj Films and several more. Our alumni have been involved in some of the most successful Indian films and, in 2013, were part of 2 Oscar award winning teams of ‘Life of Pi’ -Cinematography & VFX. Since the first batch graduated in 2008, WWI has graduated nearly 1100 students and over 90% of them are gainfully employed in the Indian & global Media & Entertainment industry.
In mid-2015, WWI entered into a major breakthrough partnership with Google under which WWI hosts Asia’s second & India’s first ‘YouTube Space’. Further, WWI also runs Asia’s only ‘YouTube Educator Lab’ for teaching courses in content creation for digital platforms.
The institution strongly marches on its way to fulfilling its goal – to be THE thought leader for Film & Media education globally.
