Meet Namit Malhotra – The Indian mastermind behind 'Dune 2's Oscar-winning VFX

Namit Malhotra, the Indian entrepreneur behind Prime Focus and CEO of DNEG, brought another moment of pride for India as his visual effects company clinched its eighth Oscar at the 97th Academy Awards. DNEG secured the prestigious Best Visual Effects award for their remarkable work on Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epic Dune: Part Two. This marks India's seventh Oscar in history and DNEG's eighth win since 2011.

Malhotra's company, which has played a pivotal role in shaping global visual effects, previously won Oscars for Dune: Part One, Tenet, First Man, Blade Runner 2049, Ex Machina, Interstellar and Inception. Expressing gratitude for the latest honour, Malhotra credited director Denis Villeneuve for his visionary storytelling and acknowledged the relentless efforts of thousands of DNEG artists, technicians and support staff worldwide.

"Congratulations to each one of you on this incredible achievement. This milestone is a testament to the talent, creativity, and collaboration that exists across our global team," he wrote on X.

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. The team executed over 1,000 visual effects shots for Dune: Part Two, including elaborate sand simulations, vast digital environments and the intricate animation of the iconic sandworms.

Malhotra has been a driving force in elevating India's reputation in the global film industry. Under his leadership, DNEG has consistently delivered cutting-edge visual effects for some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters while maintaining strong ties with India. His upcoming projects include the ambitious Ramayana, an Indian mythological epic, and Brahmastra: Part 2 – Dev, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Amitabh Bachchan.