Red-hot, right now

Red-hot, right now
ELIZABETH NINAN

This is the age of first generation entrepreneurs. All the hot blooded youngsters in the country want to own a start-up. But it is not that easy, especially when you have no lineage to boast of. That’s why Red Ice Productions is proud of where it has reached. Sujit Sarcar, Sameer Kohli, brothers Robby Grewal and S Gary dared to dream a difficult dream and then realised it in relatively short period of time. The team is now all set to begin work on two feature films: one, an out-and-out commercial venture; the other, a bi-lingual love-story, set against the backdrop of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

The production house, started by these Delhiites around two years ago, has managed to break the ice real quick. From ad films for Pepsi, Gillette and BPL to projects for ITC, Microsoft and Smithkline Beecham, they’ve come a long way. And now with videos for Shubha Mudgal’s Mann Ke Manjeere and the Aao josh mein Ford Anthem, Red Ice sure sports an impressive line up.

It all began when Kohli and Grewal met, while doing a media course at the same institute. With Gary and Sarcar later joining the team, Red Ice was born. With no media background in their families, it is their own association with advertising professionals, that helped them secure a foothold in the beginning. Sarcar-directed Dettol advertisement (shot for release during the 1998 World Cup) won the AAA gold award and even helped with a few episodes of Kaun Banega Crorepati. Gary has worked with MTV. While Grewal and Kohli (an IIT graduate) have both worked with independent television production houses in Delhi and Mumbai respectively.

Commercials, documentaries, corporate films they have done a lot in two years but this is just the beginning. On the anvil are much bigger plans. Plans are underway for a few television serials with private channels, as well as two feature films. “We want to make serials on 16mm, which is unheard of in India. And in time we plan to make Red Ice the biggest production house in the country,” smiles Gary.

Rather humble beginnings and a mercurial rise. But they are not resting on their laurels. After all, they even plan to open their next office in New York City!