Prahlad Kakkar, ad guru and Founder of Genesis Film Production.

Prahlad Kakkar
Prahlad Kakkar: Indian ad film director

Read inspirational success story of Prahlad Kakkar, Ad Film Director and founder of film production company. Prahlad Kakkar is an Indian ad film director. He is known for TV commercial of Pepsi with Sachin Tendulkar & Amitabh Bachchan.

He is the founder and main director of Genesis film productions. This company was established in 1977.

Who is Prahlad Kakkar

He set up ‘Lacadives’, a scuba-diving school, along with his wife Mitali Kakkar at Kadmat Island, in collaboration with the Govt. of Lakshadweep in 1995. In Mumbai he runs a coffee shop & Casa Amore, a wine bar and restaurant.

Kakkar was born on 24th March 1950 in Mumbai. Prahlad Kakkar grew up in Mumbai. His father was an army colonel based in Pakistan & his mother is half Marathi & half Burmese.

He did his initial school studies from St. Joseph’s Academy Dehradun. He passed out from Sainik School, Kunjpura, Karnal, Haryana, in 1966. He graduated with Economics (Honours) from Fergusson College, Pune in 1970.

Kakkar is married to Mitali Dutt Kakkar. She is the owner of the film companies Offspring and Offshoot.

The couple have three sons Arnav, Varun and Anhjin. Kakkar is suffering from Dyslexic. & his son Arnav has the same problem.

He has a passion for scuba diving & he became a CMAS 2-star Scuba Diving Instructor in 2000. He is having many interests like Gourmet cooking, Reading, Swimming, Snorkelling, Scuba Diving, Squash and Horse Riding.

In 1971, he joined advertising as an accounts executive at ASP (Delhi). He was transferred to company’s Bombay office after a year.

He joined as an Asst. Director for films such as Ankur, Manthan, and Bhumikain 1972 with the renowned feature director, Shyam Benegal.

After training under Shyam Benegal, in 1977, he, Mandeep Kakkar & Ravi uppor founded Genesis Film Productions.

This company is also known for the short film “Bali” made in affiliation with the channel Star One.

His Kama sutra ad. is also very popular. After Genesis, he started a restaurant at Prithvi Theatre with Jennifer Kendal.

He is the co-founder of ReefWatch Marine Conservation. That was started in 1994; the aim of the company was to create marine-life awareness.

He supported & played an important role as the Chief Advisor & Trustee of Natura Outdoor Education Trust.

He was one of the few Indian Directors to direct international commercials for clients like Uni Levers and Pepsico in Burma, Vietnam, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Asia Pacific Region in 1999.

In Mumbai, he started Tea House; it was first of its kind in the country. He received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from IAAFA for his contribution to Advertising and Film Art in 2000.

Genesis Film Production Pvt. Ltd.

In 1977, he founded Genesis Film Production Pvt. Ltd. after assisting Shyam Benegal, one of India’s most renowned filmmakers.

Nestle, Pepsice, Britannia, Levers were some of the popular clients of the company. He has won several awards for technical excellence, Innovation and creativity in advertising.

In 1996, Genesis won both gold and silver awards including campaign of the year for the Pepsi commercials at AAAI.

He has been nominated for Lions at Cannes. In 1999, he received Lifetime Achievement Award by the IAAFA.

He put Genesis the top Production House for two years in a row for years 2003 and 2004 by the Brand Equity.

He is one of the creators of campaigns for like “Yehi Hai Right Choice Baby! Aha!” “2 minutes” “The Zing Thing” Pepsi Ad, Gold Spot Ad, Noodles Ad for Maggi, “Ting Ting Ti Ting” Britannia Biscuits Football Ad, “Zor ka Jhatka” for Limca and “It’s different” for Maggi Ketchup.

Offspring and Offshoot

Mitali Dutt Kakkar owns offspring & offshoot his production company. He is the Principal Director for her production houses as well.

Lacadives

Prahlad and Mitali Kakar in Kadmat Island with the active collaboration of the administration of Lakshadweep set up Lacadives, India’s Premier Sports Diving Organization in 1995.

The company has set standard, that are on par, if not better than any other in the world is, for safety and committed teaching of students, Indians and Foreigners.

Up to now they have certified over 450 Indian Divers. Lacadives is the only CMAS certified Dive Centre in India.

Even it is the only establishment to have Six CMAS Instructors working with it on a full-time basis.

Lacadives was invited by the Casino Group to run the Dive Centre at the exotic Bangaram Island Resort at Lakshadweep in March 2000.

The Instructor to Diver Ratio in Lacadives’ operations in Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands is better than any other in the world.

In addition, Lacadives is part of the Underwater Federation of India. It has established the Indian Scuba Diving Association to ensure the adherence of safety norms in this industry.

Lacadives has set up REEF WATCH, an NGO, whose mission is to create awareness amongst children through workshops and practical training about the fragile Marine Environment.

This is the first Dive Centre to have its own Live Aboard, SEA URCHIN, a 55-foot vessel, 150 HP Scania Engine, with sleeping facilities for 8 passengers and four crew.

Restaurants

He has been involved in Restaurant design. He started the initiative of reviving Tea culture in India with a touch of sophistication.

It is a venture, which culminated in the Tea Centre, a restaurant designed by him at Churchgate, in association with the Tea Board of India.

He ran a Gourmet Restaurant at the Prithvi Theater, Bombay with Jennifer Kendal Kapoor in 1985.

Kakkar started Casa Amore, an exclusive wine bar and restaurant in 2001. For designer Mamta Sekhri he has created Papa Pancho.

Papa Pancho is one of the few places in Mumbai to serve traditional, home-cooked Punjabi food like “Sarson da Saag”. It is Mumbai’s first slow food, Punjabi-home style cooking” at IMAX.

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