Faculty

At SAIF – School of AI Films, we believe filmmaking is best learned from those who live and breathe it every day. Our faculty is not a fixed roster of career lecturers, but a dynamic team of working professionals with each individual’s experience more than twenty years from the Film, Television, and Digital media industries.

Each subject is taught by an expert in that discipline – whether it’s Direction, Cinematography, Editing, Production Management, Sound Recording or Art Direction. They will take lectures and workshops so that students don’t just learn theory, they gain practical insights, real-world tips, and professional workflows directly from practitioners who have honed their craft on sets, studios, and post-production floors.

This rotating panel of specialists ensures that every class and workshop is fresh, relevant, and deeply connected to the realities of today’s fast-changing film industry.

👉 Below is the list of faculty members and guest experts who are likely to guide our students in their respective areas of expertise.Visiting Experts for AI Films Workshops

Dharampal Thakur

Director – Fiction & Non-Fiction Television

Dharampal Thakur is an acclaimed television and live entertainment director with an impressive track record across India’s most popular comedy, reality, and fiction shows. He has helmed iconic non-fiction shows like The Kapil Sharma Show, Comedy Circus, Nautanki, Comedy Ka Maha Muqabla, and Chhote Ustaad, all of which became household favorites with consistently top TRP ratings.

In fiction, he has directed beloved serials such as Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Baa Bahoo Aur Baby, Sajan Re Jhooth Mat Bolo, Shubh Labh, and Tera Kya Hoga Alia, showcasing his versatility in handling humor, drama, and family-centered narratives.

Currently, he is directing The Bollywood Park Show, an innovative comedy non-fiction reality show that merges Bollywood glamour, spoof performances, and live audience participation, redefining theme-based entertainment in India.

With expertise in multi-camera direction, artist management, and creative concept development, Dharampal is widely respected for delivering audience-centric storytelling, blending humor and emotion, and consistently shaping top-rated programming across leading television networks.

Akshay Adappa

Production Controller / Supervising Producer

Akshay Adappa brings over 20 years of experience in film and television production, having managed major projects across fiction, non-fiction, and feature films. He has worked on acclaimed films like Satta (dir. Madhur Bhandarkar) and Zindaggi Rocks (dir. Tanuja Chandra), a Marathi film Kadhi Ambat Kadhi God (Dir. Amol Bhave) and popular TV shows such as Sajan Re Jhooth Mat Bolo, Papad Pol, and Pardes Mein Mila Koi Apna. His recent projects include the feature film Parikrama directed by acclaimed director Gautam Ghosh, along with multiple OTT and regional productions under Trikut Films.

At SAIF, he will be guiding students in the practical aspects of production management — from budgeting and resource planning to on-set coordination — preparing them to handle the real-world challenges of filmmaking or content creation.

Gagandeep Bijraniya (GD Sir)

Editor | Vision Mixer | Director

With over 30 years of experience, Gagandeep Bijraniya has directed and vision-mixed more than 250 live, multi-camera productions across television, sports, concerts, and global events. His credits span some of India’s biggest franchises including Kaun Banega Crorepati, Bigg Boss, Indian Idol, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Comedy Circus, Koffee with Karan, and The Kapil Sharma Show, along with the Netflix original The Great Indian Kapil Show.

He has also handled major live spectacles such as the IPL Opening Ceremonies, IIFA Awards, Filmfare Awards, Femina Miss India, and corporate extravaganzas for Reliance and Aditya Birla. Internationally, he was vision mixer for the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire (Mumbai unit) and has worked on mega-events like YouTube FanFest Asia and Show of the Millennium at Wembley Stadium.

At SAIF, he shares his expertise, giving students a rare inside view of how large-scale productions are executed under real-time pressure.

Shailesh N. Anikhindi

Director of Photography | Cinematographer

A senior member of WICA (Western India Cinematographers Association), Shailesh Anikhindi has over 28 years of experience behind the camera, working across television, web series, documentaries, and feature films. He began his career assisting legendary cameramen and directors such as Dilip Dutta and Babubhai Mistry, and went on to shoot landmark TV shows including Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Sara Akash, Yeh Meri Life Hai, Mamta, CID (250+ episodes), and Patiala Babes.

His portfolio also spans live award shows (Filmfare Awards, Screen Awards), reality series (Boogie Woogie, Kya Masti Kya Dhoom), and web projects for MX Player and ALTBalaji. Recently, he directed and shot a Government of India short film on traffic awareness, inaugurated by Shri Nitin Gadkari and felicitated by Shri Prakash Javadekar.

At SAIF, he brings his expertise in cinematography and lighting for screen, guiding students in both the artistry and technical craft of camera work.

Samant Christopher Lakra

Sound Designer | Production Sound Mixer |

Samant Christopher Lakra is an FTII-trained sound designer and production sound mixer with over 12 years of experience across films, OTT series, and documentaries. His work spans acclaimed titles such as Tribhanga (Netflix), Grahan (Disney Hotstar), Bestseller (Amazon Prime), Kathal – A Jackfruit Mystery (Netflix), and the Marathi film Vrutti. He has also designed sound for Fuddu, The Tape, and Hazaar Vela Sholey Pahilela Manus.

Beyond mainstream cinema, Samant has contributed to international and socially-driven projects including FILM über Zubin Mehta (ARTE.tv, Germany) and the India-Pakistan Partition Project. His soundscapes have enriched television for Nat Geo, Epic Channel, and Living Food Channel, as well as commercials for brands like Godrej, Big Bazaar, and Khaitan.

At the School of AI Films, he brings this wide-ranging experience into teaching—guiding students to craft immersive soundscapes with both technical precision and creative imagination.

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“If we … teleport ourselves into any moment in history — the moment fire was discovered, the moment the steam engine was made, electricity — I think the discussions will be very similar: the double-edged sword of technology. Technology is empowering, but with that power comes danger. I think the same goes with AI.”

— Fei-Fei Li

Stanford professor, co-director of HAI, AI ethics advocate