Ashish studied Film & Drama at the University of Reading, UK and has been directing, producing, writing & acting since 1992.
Ashish set up Box Office Productions and produced/directed over 50 commercials for brands such as Airtel, Elle, Garden Saris, Godrej, Hindustan Unilever, J&J, Lakmé & Sunsilk.
By 2005, Ashish began directing freelance in India, as well as for Dubai, Finland, Sri Lanka, & the US. He has made corporate videos for clients in Australia, Singapore and UK, as well as content for TV channels like BBC, CNBC, Doordarshan, Sony & Zee Music.
Ashish has produced/directed documentaries in the gender & LGBTQIA+ sphere- as well as commissioned documentary work for Australia, UK & USA. He has produced/directed Ethnographic films for Singapore, corporate videos for the British High Commission, Equiniti India, and a series of documentary digital stories for 101 India, International Olympic Channel, MARD, PFI, & The Wedding Filmer.
Over 2020-21, Ashish was series director on ‘The Big Day’, a 6 episode documentary series for Netflix. The series has made it to #1 in India and was trending in 8 other countries.
Commercials for India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the US for brands such as Airtel, Cadburys, Close Up, Denim, Elle 18, Etisalat, Elle Magazine, Frooti, Godrej, Garden, Horlicks, Johnson & Johnson, Lakmé, Liril, Lux, Nokia, Parle, Parrys, Saffola, Surf, Schwarzkopf, Sunsilk, Thums Up, Videocon & Xoom.
IAAFA/Ad Club/Chillies Awards won in India and Sri Lanka: 1997/2005/2008/2009.
Ashish has been writing and acting aside from directing & producing. His short stories have been published in ‘Out!’, ‘Queer Potli’, ‘One Yesterday’. He has written for magazines such as ‘Elle’ and ‘Man’s World, and content written for ‘ClubM’ & ‘Dainik Jagran’, and on TV for ‘Rose Audiovisuals’.
As an actor, Ashish has been a presenter for Channel V’s ‘Fashion Police’, BITV’s ‘Anything Goes’ and for BBC’s- ‘India Style’. He has also done cameos in films such as ‘Luck by Chance’, ‘Zindagi Nahi Milegi Dobara’, ‘Made in Heaven’, ‘Gully Boy’, and to be released ‘Sitara’, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ & ‘The Archies’.
Currently, Ashish is training to be a counsellor and has done courses with Parivarthan Bangalore and UK’s Kew Academy, CTAA, Holbeck College & the IAOTH.
– The Quint: Netflix: The Big Day:Neon hot take Netflix The big day honest thoughts netflix india
-Otakukart: Netflix: The Big Day: https://otakukart.com/the-big-day-collection-2-netflix-reality-show-is-back/
-Decider: Netflix The Big Day: https://decider.com/2021/04/26/the-big-day-netflix-indian-weddings/
• Mans World Coming Out
• Huffington Post Coming Out
– DNA: Happy Hookers: Mumbai report three gay happy hookers wait for happier times 1008071
• Asianet MARD & PFI
• Midday MARD & PFI
– Out!: https://lareviewofbooks.org/short-takes/another-look-indias-books-stories-new-queer-india/
• 22 Questions to Ashish Sawhny The Wedding Filmer
–https://www.vervemagazine.in/arts-and-culture/queer-haunts-of-the-90s
–Firebrand writer ismat chughtais legacy through personal stories from her family
Ashish has produced/directed documentaries in the gender & LGBTQIA+ sphere- as well as commissioned documentary work for Australia, UK & USA. He has produced/directed Ethnographic films for Singapore, corporate videos for the British High Commission, Equiniti India, and a series of documentary digital stories for 101 India, International Olympic Channel, MARD, PFI, & The Wedding Filmer.
Over 2020-21, Ashish was series director on ‘The Big Day’, a 6 episode documentary series for Netflix. The series has made it to #1 in India and was trending in 8 other countries.
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