New Delhi : well-known filmmaker-actor & branding specialist Rahul Mittra was awarded in recognition of his valuable contributions to the Tourism Industry and for promoting cinematic tourism at the 9th International Tourism Expo-Conclave & Travel Awards (ITCTA) at the packed PHD House auditorium in the capital city on Friday. Amongst those present included top honchos of the PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Travel Agents Association of India, Indian Association of Tour Operators, Association of domestic tour operators of India, Outbound Tour Operators Association of India, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India, Indian Tourist Transporters Association, India Golf Tourism Association, Tourism India Alliance, Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, leading domestic & international Airlines and state and foreign tourism boards. In a little over a decade, Rahul Mittra has earned a name in the Indian film industry, having produced or presented more than a dozen Hindi films. With an innate passion for storytelling, the award-winning producer has brought compelling narratives to life on the big screen and carved his niche by backing projects that transcend genres. Mittra has been a game-changer in Bollywood, with his production company Rahul Mittra Films being part of the movement that changed the narrative of Indian cinema by getting the focus back on small-town stories as opposed to the diaspora-centric song and drama potboilers, churning out fresh stories and novel marketing ideas.
The impressive filmography of the self-made first-generation filmmaker includes the Saheb Biwi aur Gangster trilogy, which featured Jimmy Sheirgill, Randeep Hooda, Irrfan Khan, Mahie Gill and Chitrangada Singh; Saif Ali Khan and Sonakshi Sinha-starrer Bullett Raja; Kangana Ranaut-starrer Revolver Rani; Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Sarkar 3; and Sanjay Dutt and Nargis Fakhri starrer Torbaaz, which premiered on Netflix, among others. Rahul Mittra has also been credited with leading Indian film delegations for film festivals across the globe, opening up these countries for film shootings, art & cultural exchange, trade and to and fro tourism from India. Some of the countries where Rahul has led film & media delegations include United States of America, Norway, Hungary, Sweden, Poland, Kenya, Uzbekistan, Oman, Vietnam amongst others.
Mittra, who started his career as a journalist with a leading English daily, is also a branding and communication expert, with his well-known advisory company Brandsmith helping state governments, foreign tourism & film boards, Small & Medium Enterprises and high-net-worth individuals. As brand advisor to the government of Arunachal Pradesh, Rahul Mittra Films’ recent campaign on the 50 years of statehood featuring close friend Sanjay Dutt was one of most successful & talked about state/tourism campaigns in India.
His recent cameo in Imtiaz Ali’s hit film Chamkila on Netflix has been highly appreciated for his real life portrayal of a Punjab police cop.