Bhubaneswar: As Nitesh Tiwari’s magnum opus ‘Ramayana: Part-1’ roared on the big screen, the Steel City had its own reason to cheer. The epic’s breathtaking visual world carries the imprint of Rourkela’s very own Syam Mahananda, the talented VFX artist who has turned myth into magic.
Yes you have heard it right. The 32-year-old Visual Effects (VFX) artist from Rourkela is part of the core VFX team of ‘Ramayana’, which is being touted as Indian cinema’s most expensive and ambitious film.
For Syam, it’s a dream come true. He always wanted to take Rourkela’s name to the national stage. Today, after years of hard work in the world of Animation and VFX, he has made that dream a reality.
As per reports, this is not his first big project. After establishing himself in Mumbai, Syam has already worked as a VFX artist in several blockbusters. His portfolio includes films like ‘KGF-2′, ‘Brahmastra’, ‘Master’, ‘Leo’, ‘Varisu’ and ‘Kalki 2898 AD’.
In ‘Ramayana’, he is responsible for creating the mythical world with the perfect blend of traditional aesthetics and modern technology. From building divine weapons to mythical landscapes, his work has given a new visual dimension to the epic.
According to Working on Ramayana was not just a project for him, it’s an emotion. For him, Ramayana is a story of Indian culture. So, creating its visual world was both a challenge and a responsibility”, said Syam.
32-year-old Shyam, a resident of Shaktinagar in Rourkela, is an AI Creative Producer and Senior Video Editor. He worked as a VFX artist for six months on the film ‘Ramayana’. His association with DNEG was a major milestone in his career. In 2023, he showcased his talent by working on the Hollywood film ‘Creed-III’, directed by Michael B. Jordan. He has gathered vast experience while working at Global Visual Effects in Hyderabad and Xentric Studio in Bengaluru. Apart from this, he has also worked with ‘Sakhi’ NGO, where he was responsible for creating and editing videos related to social work and various schemes of the Government of India.
Currently, he is working as an AI Creative Producer and Senior Video Editor in Bengaluru. Apart from ‘Creed-3′, he has worked on several films and entertainment projects like The Mandalorian’, ‘The Flash’, ‘Monster High’, ‘Masters of the Air’, ‘Deadpool’, and ‘Wolverine’.
He credits his success to his mother. According to him, his mother is the main source of inspiration, strength and blessings in his life.
It is pertinent to mention that Shyam is the adopted son of former Executive Director of Rourkela Steel Plant, Niranjan Dash, and the youngest son of Sushila Mahanand.
