Spotlight

December, 2020

E
Cover Art To me, Christmas is everyday. It is love in all its fortitude
and aspects. It is mercy, humility, fresh and forgiveness.
Christmas is a celebration that includes spending time
with your loved ones.
Heer Detroja
BA in Fashion Design Year 2

with the editor

Purnaa Negi
B.B.A 2

“ A Christmas Miracle ”
When I was six years old, my family used to set up a ladder for me so that my tiny feet could climb up to
decorate our Christmas tree. We would be home all day wondering what comestibles to make that Santa
would love to try this year. Of course, everyone’s mind would always dwell around a warm plate of freshly
baked cookies with a side of hot cup of cocoa. My whole family would wait for the night to see our beauti-
ful tree lit up. While the world called Christmas Day a festival or the birth of Jesus Christ, we called it a
feeling.

To celebrate the smallest experience in life with your loved ones is the warmest feeling one can ever get.
It’s an enthralling thing to experience a cold gush of December winds while sitting on your window ledge,
wondering how there will be a day where you’ll experience snow. Festivals are heart-warming as they give
you the ability to delve into a world of kindness, generosity and every reason to forget the meaning of a rea-
sonable balanced diet.

In this issue of Spotlight, we will cruise through the lanes of evergreen Christmas movies that will revive
the spirit of this wonderful holiday. The students have written a heartfelt article about their best Christmas
memories over the years. The faculty takes this issue ahead by talking about a unique feature of Christmas
time - advertisements! We also have faculty talk about Christmas on campus and their own work around
the spirit of Christmas in Staff Room Window and Creative work. From talking about careers to sharing
memories, this issue has everything you need to bid farewell to this insightful year and give a fresher start
to the New Year.

We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we did creating it for you. For it is a holiday only when you can
have traditions and memories to look back at and laugh. At the end of the day, Christmas will always mean
waiting to put up that star on top of your tree, to tell your neighbours that their cookies taste better than
yours and all the ways that lead you back to your warm home.

faculty & staff

corner
HEADING staff room
window
Meenakshi CV
Faculty; School of Media and Communication

Christmas is about fun and cheer, sparkle and snow and a harmo-
Utkarsha Kotian
Faculty; School of Media
nious medley of red and white and decorations and about some and Communication
heartwarming advertising. There are some brands whose work is
looked forward to as they do it well and get it right each time;
Coke, M&S, John Lewis, Sainsbury to name a few. If one were Last Christmas seems like a lifetime ago -
the carolling on the streets, the festive
to pick themes that are common to great Christmas advertising,
spirit in the houses, gorging a little too
it would be sharing, kindness, gifting, family and of course the
much on guava cheese! It all seems like a
inclusion of Mr. Claus (or Mrs. Claus). Do check out these com-
different life now. Yet the highlight of my
mercials that made it to the list of my favorite Christmas com- December for a while now has been the
mercials (in chronological order) Christmas spirit on campus. Yes, it is a
time for joy, for cheer, and for gifts, but it
1. Hershey’s Jingle Bells (1989) is also a time for reflection.
2. Coca Cola Christmas Trucks (1990)
3. Kelloggs Christmas Ad 2013 My visit to campus earlier this month
4. Sainsbury Christmas 2014 made me a little more than nostalgic and
5. John Lewis- Man on the moon (2015) yearn for the times to come, so bear with
6. Edeka – Coming Home (2015) me while I share the same with you. As I
7. M&S Mrs. Claus 2016 sat on my desk mulling the year that we
8. Frankie’s Holiday- Apple (2016) just lived through, I couldn't help but miss
9. Erste Christmas Ad 2018: What would Christmas be with- the odd student who would poke their
out love? head through the door to scream “Happy
10. Doc Morris Christmas 2020 Holidays!” This year, I was greeted by
muffled good mornings from behind
masks instead. There was a sense of ex-
citement to see who was on campus and
how they were doing, as well as multiples
of “have you sanitised your hands?”

While looking for some books, I noticed

how things were placed exactly like we
had left them – the coffee mug still up-
turned from its last use, papers piled in a
corner, stationery neatly tucked into
boxes, the plants surprisingly healthy and
blooming in the room that houses the
SMC faculty and staff…all waiting for us
to get back! It was like we had just left for
Frankie’s Holiday (Apple) 2016 the day and would be back soon.

Every year, as December rolls in, the

campus readies itself for a break. The stu-
dents are done with their exams, the fac-
ulty is busy assessing papers, the staff has
their gift exchanges, and the spirit of
Christmas properly descends upon us all.
This year however, the empty halls of the
campus held something else– the promise
of a better time to come.

Sainsbury 1914 Christmas Advertisement

Picture credits : Aaron Monterio

Bsc Filmaking Year 2

student speaks
T’was a Very Merry
Christmas Indeed
This issue the spotlight is everything good about Christmas and the happiness surrounding this wonderful
festival. Every kid goes to sleep on Christmas eve excited about what Santa has in store for them. So, the
students of WWI share some of their best Christmas gifts and the joy they felt in this months segment of
Student Speaks.

Priyanka Periwal
BBA Year 3
The best Christmas present that I've ever received was
around the time I was 5 years old and we had bought a
small Christmas tree for home and decorated it with
loads of ornaments. My mum was not around the last
few days so I kind of missed her. I remember leaving a
cute red sock in the living room for her as well. The next
morning, I excitedly got out of bed to see what presents
Santa had given me, I ran to the living room and found
my mum with a little baby in her arms!! My younger
sister was my Christmas present!! I was inexplicably
happy but also kind of jealous because she got more
attention than I did. My dad magically pulled out a Dairy
Milk from his pocket and in one second, I was back to
being happy that I was a big sister!

Sonakshi Srivastava
PGD in Media and Entertainment Year 2
It was around 5 Christmases ago. I was in my first year
of college and it was also the first time I had been away
from my home. With the usual homesickness and long-
ing for some familiar comfort, I had been waiting for
my Christmas break patiently. When it was finally time
to go home for the year, I was stoked! We had gone
Carol Singing, had a lovely Secret Santa week, and on
the night before my friends and I parted ways for the
year, we had had a lovely, traditional Christmas dinner.
Always receiving presents under my pillow, I was never
used to this kind of a Christmas. It was a completely
new experience for me.

Raj Kikani
Advanced Diploma Filmaking Year 2

The best Christmas gift I have ever received was in

2017 when me and my dad had travelled to Dubai.
We were in the mall and it was like heaven for my
dad who is a shopaholic. He loves to shop so much
that; it has now rubbed off on me. We were walking
around and stopped near a watch store. I really liked
this watch and asked my dad if I could have it. Lucki-
ly for me, he was in the Christmas spirit and gave me
the watch. And I have never been happier.

Picture credits : Anvesha Khillar

BBA Year 3

student work
INTERNSHIPS
Maitreyi Bhattacharjee Sanjana Gundre
BBA Year 3 BBA Year 2

Honestly, coming back to campus after nine long My journey with the Jurni started on 2nd Dec as
months felt really unusual. Although the building a campus ambassador. I would like to start from
and the structures around seemed very welcom- the very beginning. I got to know about the Jurni
ing, I couldn’t spot the campus’ usual hustle and sometime around the first week of November
bustle. We were limited by stricter rules and from a friend and I thought it would be a great
guidelines. Our batch of BBA-3 had to go back to idea to try it out as it is only a 2-week internship.
college to attend the documentary workshop. Our I got in touch with one of the coordinators and
workshop involves a variety of activities, the final was told that my interview would be allotted to
one being shooting and editing a documentary me shortly. The Jurni is a free email newsletter
film on the field. We were provided with a good that gives you information related to travel, cul-
set of film equipment and 2 professional cameras ture, food, world music and many more interest-
to capture our required footage. Of course, we ing facts about the world. The internship gave
were all at a distance from each other, wore masks me an opportunity to communicate with a lot of
at all times in order to maintain utmost safety. people, manage and take out time to finish some
of the interesting and creative tasks, and main-
I wish everything is back to normal soon, and even tain coordination. I only wish the internship
though the new lifestyle is a bit difficult, even a could be a little longer for me to experience and
global pandemic can never pull us down from explore more. Those two weeks were very excit-
gaining hands-on-experience and upgrade our- ing especially due to the covid situation every
selves at WWI! day for me was looking forward to tasks and
being creative.

Picture credits : Anish Chodankar

BBA Year 2

CREATIVE WORK
Christmas Treats in
Watercolours
Tis' the season to be jolly...Christmas is also
about devouring scrumptious treats with relish!
A set of watercolour illustrations I created for
Habitat for Humanity Great Britain, for a
Gingerbread House Challenge.

A very, merry, joyous Christmas to everyone!

Picture and text : Devyani Arya

Faculty; School of Design

A Family Christmas
Tradition
Christmas is always a fun festival at our
house but this year since everyone was
at home, we decided to take up a fun ac-
tivity and painted the Windows to have
a more Christmas-sy vibe!

I guess it's safe to say that we've found

Picture and text : Radhit Arora
a new Christmas Ritual to carry out
BBA Year 3 each year!

Picture credits : Amazon Prime

Review
& ALL THINGS
POPULAR
Akshat Vaidya
BBA 2

Night City.
Where it is all blood & gore. Yet, bugs
are galore.

To call ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ an ambitious

Priyamvadha Devanathan project by CD Projekt RED is the under-
BBA 3 statement of the year. After the im-
mensely popular Witcher series of
games, CDPR has been hard at work for

Are you a holiday gump? their next project i.e. Cyberpunk 2077.
This project of theirs has been in devel-
opment for almost a decade now and
As much as we wish our life was a Hallmark movie, we now have after 4 delays and 8 years of anticipation
a legitimate excuse to watch it, because T'is the season to be from the gaming industry. Cyberpunk
Jolly!! And if there was ever a year when you’ve earned the right 2077 has finally been released for all
to watch something that’s filled with good cheer and which guar- platforms (except for ps4 and Xbox one,
antees A MIRACULOUSLY HAPPY ENDING, it has to be this we don't talk about that) on December
one! Despite the fact that 2020 has felt less like a year than a 10, 2020.
decade, this holiday season I made sure to curl up on the couch to
watch some of my favourite Christmas flicks (along with some However, when you start out to make
atrociously horrible ones…*cough cough* it rhymes with the something so different and ambitious
words “crincess mitch”) that it is expected to set a benchmark for
all other role-playing games and when
After wasting around 1 hour 38 minutes of my life watching the as a company, you’re expected to break
above-mentioned movie’s illogical, unneeded sequel revolving all records and make the best game ever
around the SAME PLOT, like any sane person, I too decided to made; more often than not, you fall
watch my favourite Christmas movies! To save your time for the short. Cruising through the crime infest-
next festive season here are my favourite Christmas movies, and ed streets of Night City in cyberpunk
fear not! My top favourites do not even mention the name Vanessa 2077 is addictive and living in a world
Hudgens or any films that go by the title Holidate (because to be that is obsessed with cybernetic attach-
very honest, PLEASE DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME WATCH- ments can feel like your regular
ING IT). GTA-ish open world with a futuristic
touch, but the lore of Cyberpunk is so
Dr Suess’ The Grinch who stole Christmas: What better way to deep that you need to always take your
kickstart your festive season, than to watch this live action remake decisions into consideration and there
of a 26 minutes long animated Dr Suess’ holiday special. Jim are always repercussions for your ac-
Carrey plays the grinch in this 2000 adaptation of an iconic chil- tions. The choices that the game offers
dren’s book that talks about the ultimate holiday gump (well up are often intertwined with whatever you
there with Scrooge though). This heartwarming tale of friendship do in this huge open world which is fas-
between the grinch and Cindy Lou Who, will surely light up your cinating and at the same time all the way
festive mood! You can stream this film on netflix. more reason to keep going on.

The Holiday: This film, starring Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate This game has storytelling that tran-
Winslet and Jack Black, is basically two Nancy Meyers rom-com scends most AAA games of this genera-
for the price of one! The story is about two women who swap tion (there are some exceptions of
houses over the holiday seasons and how under the twinkling course). Storytelling is where the game
lights and dropping temperatures, they find trans-atlantic partners. genuinely shines and proves to be differ-
This fulfilling tale about love will surely warm up your hearts ent than the others. Although not all the
during the festive season! missions of Cyberpunk 2077 are home
You can watch it on Netflix. runs, CD Projekt Red has managed suc-
cessfully to prevent both plot missions
Elf: It’s simply NOT CHristmas unless you’ve watched Will and side quests from feeling repetitive.
Farell frolic through the streets of New York City in search of his One such aim is for players to partici-
biological father, decked in the kelly-green tunic. Farrell stars as pate in a sort of combat club, with nu-
Santa’s helper in this classic directed by John Favreau and co-star- merous bouts spread across Night City.
ring Zooey Deschanel. I really don’t know where you can stream To be honest this is far from a perfect
this movie, but I watched it on tv this year too. game and it is an incomplete product. It
is filled with so many bugs and it feels
Home Alone (1990): The John Hughes scripted, Chris Columbes like you are missing an essence. Not to
directed- hit movie Home Alone, serves us nostalgia and holiday mention the fact that it is downright un-
on the same platter. This movie is about Kevin Maccallister (M- playable on base models like PS4 &
caulay Culkin), a boy who finds himself alone at home during the Xbox One. So much so that it was taken
holiday season, when his family mistakenly leaves him behind on from both consoles online stores until
their trip to Paris. Watching this movie as a grown up might not updates were made. Although CDPR is
make sense to many of us, especially because of scenes that make trying to give refunds to console players
NO SENSE WHATSOEVER, but this movie’s sentimental and due to their less than satisfactory experi-
happy ending works every time and makes you want to watch it ence playing the game, As of now, Cy-
again, every year. This movie is available on Disney+Hotstar to berpunk 2077 gives high hopes of a
stream. world filled with numerous choices and
a plethora of side and main missions
Die Hard(1988): The 1988 film, starring Bruce Willis sparks up while still giving out an amazing story.
a debate every december and the question being is die hard really Yet it is overwhelmed with bugs and the
a christmas movie? If we watch this movie, every Christmas, then sheer anticipation of the game over-
yes it is a Christmas movie. Unlike other cheerful movies, this one hyped the launch and in retrospect failed
is an action-packed thriller, revolving around detective John Mc- to live up to our expectations.
clane who goes to L.A. to spend christmas with his wife. On
reaching, he learns about a hostage situation in an office building Hopefully we can get a finished game
and his wife being one of the hostages. The film follows this ad- where we can get the futuristic rpg game
venture of his. Just to clarify, this whole movie takes place during we all deserve.
an office holiday party, includes a small cameo by Santa, has a Wake up CDPR. You have a game to
scene where they exchange gifts and most importantly, IT IS A finish.
CHRISTMAS MOVIE because it snows in the end.

Picture credits : Aaron Monterio

Bsc Filmaking Year 2

Alumni Speaks

Accept, Adapt and Apply

Rohan Vachani
PGD Batch of 2018
Manager: Brand Building & Communications,
Chocolate Corner, Dehradun

You have worked in the events industry, as well as NGOs. And now are helping your family business.
What is the common thread to these?
As per my learnings and observations, the common thread across all professional activities, and not just these
3 industries is having the ability to face, accept, and overcome challenges.
Acceptance is the key. Speaking of events, I feel that one needs to be adaptive to the changing trends with the
advent of digitization and increasing consumer awareness. I realized that to make a social change on a mass
level, you need to know every bit of your audience’s preferences and personal whereabouts to make the event
experience meaningful for them

Across all my work experiences, I’ve learned and accepted the fact that there are no free lunches in life. To
move in a direction to make a mark, to learn, to explore, one needs to get out of their comfort zones and get
going. Working with the family business in the food retail space has made me aware of the changing customer
trends. One needs to be goal-oriented, and goals set should be achievable.

Do you think small businesses had to innovate more during the pandemic/holiday season?
I think the initial lockdown made most of the small businesses restructure themselves. The pandemic gave
them a big jolt, as a result of which, they ended up in a DO or DIE situation. Businesses that have survived
amidst the pandemic are the ones who realized the repercussions of COVID 19 on the functionality of busi-
nesses in the very first phase of the lockdown and accepted the fact that they would have to push themselves
outside of their usual comfort zones to survive.

Talking specifically about my line of business, had we been stringent in terms of sticking to the regular line
of products and conventional way of working, we wouldn’t have explored other opportunities. In any space,
you need to be observant to be able to innovate. You need to continuously understand the shift in buying be-
havior, the effect of changing economic dynamics on the tastes and preferences of the end customer, and so
on. When businesses are in the red zone in terms of survival, a calculated risk must be taken to help sustain
revenues.

What is your advice to students who are thinking about running their ventures?
Businesses take time to stabilize, and only post stabilization does they thrive. With stabilization comes sus-
tainability which eventually leads to profitability. Do not get into the unhealthy competition of numbers. Be
inquisitive to learn from the changing business environment especially at the incubation stage. The biggest
tree can take the worst of the storms when its roots are strong. Focus on making your foundation stronger, and
profits would follow. The grass always looks greener on the other side, but no business is a cakewalk.

How did your education at Whistling Woods International help you?

Studying in your hometown for your education keeps you stuck to your comfort zone. WWI made me realize
in the very initial days that moving to Mumbai for graduation was a wise decision. Whistling Woods has
helped me discover myself and has helped me learn things in the best possible way. College supported me in
every internship opportunity I got, which helped me experience different fields of media. I learned to embrace
change and that’s how I realized the beauty of new horizons instead of shying away from them.

Alumni in Spotlight
Name: Maharsh Shah
Filmaking Batch of 2008

Maharsh Shah's trilogy book Part one titled

Zoravar published by Harper Collins
 Events
Shri. Kiren Rijiju, Hon. Minister (IC) of State for Youth Affairs & Sports and
Minister of State, Minority Affairs, visited Whistling Woods International
for the MoU Signing Ceremony, December 25,2020

Shri. Kiren Rijiju, Hon. Minister (IC) of State for Youth Affairs & Sports and Minister of
State, Minority Affairs, visited Whistling Woods International for the signing ceremony of the
Academic Affiliation Agreement between Whistling Woods International and the Rajiv
Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development.

Alumni Abhinav Gussain (Dance All Universe) conducted an Online Dance

Workshop with Students, December 16, 2020

WWI hosted an Online Christmas Movie Marathon Screening some of the

Funniest yet Heart-Warming Christmas themed Movies from
December 21-25, 2020

WWI conducted a Christmas Donation Drive For NGOs and Housekeeping

Staff.

The aim was to offer some support and holiday cheer to those in need. Grocery products,
Hygiene Kits, Clothes and food packets were donated to NGOs.

Webinars

SMC Guest Session with Mr. Sagar Narsian on Entrepreneurs & Start-Ups -
Critical Success Factors for being an Entrepreneur, December 09, 2020

Sagar Narsian, Corporate Trainer and Management

Consultant, conducted a workshop for the WWI
School of Media & Communication students of BBA
2, BBA 3, PGD 1 and PGD 2 and addressed the topic,
Entrepreneurs & Start-Ups - Critical Success Factors
for being an Entrepreneur.

SMC Guest Session with Mr. Keshav Kumar on Evolving Meaning of

Marketing in Current Times, December 15 & 16, 2020

Keshav Kumar, founder of Farmers Company con-

ducted a workshop for the WWI School of Media &
Communication students of PGD 1 and PGD 2, and
addressed the topic, Evolving Meaning of Marketing
in Current Times.

STUDENT PLACEMENTS

ALUMNI UPDATES

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

FILM FESTIVALS

Team
Editors
Akshat Vaidya
Anish Chodankar
Mahak Agarwal
Priyamvadha Devanathan
Priyanshi Savani
Purnaa Negi
Raj Joshi

Design
Maitrayi Buddhdev
Raj Joshi
Saloni Shah

Faculty and Staff Co-ordinators

Kapil Tandon
Mehak Sareen
Utkarsha Kotian

The official WWI Newsletter

Spotlight is your magazine. Share with us your articles on present and upcoming events, news items,
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DISCLAIMER: This Newsletter is for general information purposes only. The views expressed in
this Newsletter are not necessarily those of Whistling Woods International (WWI). WWI has taken
all reasonable measures to ensure that the material contained in this Newsletter is correct. However,
WWI gives no warranty and accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or the completeness of the
material. Readers are advised not to rely solely on this information.

Spotlight