The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) announced on Monday that it would be opening applications for BAFTA Breakthrough India under its new ambassador A.R.Rahman.
Rahman responded by expressing his delight at working with such a prestigious organisation and said that it was a "unique opportunity" for nurturing talent in India, by giving them access to mentoring under world-renowned creatives and BAFTA-winners.
"I am looking forward to seeing the brilliant talent chosen from India to be showcased on a global stage," he said.
Rahman was chosen for his broad spectrum of work, which, according to Chief Executive Amanda Berry OBE, would help BAFTA to appeal to a wide section of the industry. The initiative aims to invite applications from upcoming talents in film, television and games and will give chosen participants an exclusive one-year mentorship programme with access to full voting BAFTA membership.
"I am also incredibly grateful for the invaluable support of our brilliant Ambassador A. R. Rahman, an industry leader in his creative work and someone who shares our passion for identifying and nurturing new talent," she said in a statement on the BAFTA website.
A hand-picked jury of British and Indian experts will select chosen participants for the mentoring programme which includes one-to-one mentoring, global networking opportunities, free access to BAFTA events and screenings for 12 months, and full voting BAFTA membership.