ANKIT ARORA
[DIRECTOR | CREATIVE DIRECTOR | CONTENT STRATEGIST]
* Best Director Award nomination at The Asian Tv awards 2021 for the documentary on Kalpana Chawla aired on National Geographic and Disney+Hotstar.
Creative Director/ Director of HP Smart Champs (S1) - Silver Winner at the ET BrandEquity Shark Awards 2026.
* Special Screening 'of the documentary on Kalpana Chawla at the MAMI Film Festival in 2019
* Director of the Best International Show 'A table for two S2', won at the Zee Rishtey Awards in 2021.
* Director of Best Non-fiction Series, at vIDEA awards for OMG, Yeh Mera India on History Tv18
SHOWREEL
Every Frame tells a Story
And every story
conveys a message!
With over 19 years in media and entertainment, Ankit Arora has developed original IPs, helmed big-ticket international formats and created high-impact content across broadcast, OTT, government and brands.
A genre, language and platform-agnostic filmmaker, his work spans documentaries, reality, lifestyle, fashion, sports, infrastructure and branded narratives.
Along the way, he has directed some of the most recognisable names in entertainment - from Lady Gaga, 50 Cent, Jay Sean, Kenny G and Kunal Nayyar, to Shah Rukh Khan, leading Bollywood stars and some of the biggest names in Indian streaming.
As content strategy lead for Bengaluru Airport’s T2 terminal, Ankit explored transmedia storytelling at scale - shaping his belief in its power to influence culture, communities and behaviour.
Whether telling the story of a national icon, crafting a cinematic brand journey or capturing everyday heroism, his lens is guided by one question: What does this story do for the person watching it?
With a director’s precision, a strategist’s foresight and a humanist’s lens, he creates stories designed to transform presence into legacy.
DIRECTION
Directing genre, language, and platform agnostic content.
Reality/ Documentaries/ Fashion & Lifestyle/ Branded Content/ Game shows and more.
FORMAT & IP DEVELOPMENT
Developing IPs, pitches and Format structures from early ideas through to final output.
CREATIVE DIRECTION
Leading creative across national and International formats and projects broadcast, OTT and brands.
TRANSMEDIA CONTENT STRATEGY
Developing and executing content strategies for various brands across platfroms, including Bengaluru Airport T2.
KEY PROJECTS
BODY OF WORK
REALITY
Blending scale with substance, Ankit’s reality work spans a diverse range from high stakes competition to fashion, lifestyle, sports, travel, and cultural formats. He has directed a wide spectrum of unscripted content across leading platforms and networks.
-
Hewlett Packard IP (Releasing Soon) - Jio Hotstar
-
Everyone Can Design! - YouTube
-
Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa - Sony Tv
-
MTV Roadies (South Africa)
-
Vivo X lens - Disney+Hotstar
-
Hero Dirt Biking - Mtv
-
A Table for Two S2 — Zee International
-
The Greedy Closet - Zee5
-
It Happens Only in India - National Geographic
-
OMG Yeh Mera India (Multiple Seasons) — History TV18
-
After Hrs - Zee Cafe
-
Marathon Man - Ndtv
-
21 - Utv Bindass
-
Others (varied roles) - Axn Amazing Race | So You think You Can Dance | Deal or No Deal | India Poochega Sabse Shaana Kaun | Indian Idol Junior | India's Got Talent | Indian Idol | Survivor India | The Match...
-
& more.
DOCUMENTARIES & BIOGRAPHIES
Ankit’s documentary and biographical work captures scale, nuance, and human spirit — from national icons and cultural trailblazers to government stories, social impact narratives, and branded documentaries. His films have been featured across National Geographic, History TV, Discovery, Disney Plus Hotstar and government platforms amidst others.
-
Mega Icons (Kalpana Chawla) - National Geographic/ Disney+Hotsar
-
Mega Icons (AR Rahman) - National Geographic/ Disney+Hotsar
-
BIAL Superstructures - The Making of Terminal 2 - National Geographic
-
Sourav Ganguly - Nationa Geographic (Unreleased)
-
BIAL - Social media short films
-
OMG Yeh Mera India (Multiple Seasons) - History Tv
-
Brand Films (Multiple) - Discovery
-
Central Govt Film (Kupwara, Kashmir)
-
MP Govt Films
-
Telangana Govt Films
-
Tata Motors Film
-
& more
Brand Narratives
From developing brand IPs to bringing them to fruition, Ankit’s work with brands brings narrative and intent together across films, formats, and platforms. The focus remains on creating work that stays true to the brand while remaining engaging, with an emphasis on recall and lasting value.
-
Hewlett Packard IP (HP SMART CHAMPS) - Jio Hotstar
Conceived and built a first of its kind original IP from a one line brand brief, positioning HP printers as an essential “study buddy” for a new generation of learners through storytelling, gameplay, and world building. -
Deliotte - Global stakeholder film on grit and perseverance.
-
Airtel + Adobe IP (Everyone Can Design!) - YouTube
Created a long format design game show that transformed a design app into mainstream consumable entertainment, while seamlessly integrating two brands within a single IP. Crossed 1 million views within days of launch -
Maruti (Flip the Journey) - YouTube
-
Vivo (X lens) - Jio Hotstar
-
Bengaluru International Airport T2 (National Geographic + Multiple platforms)
Humanised one of India’s largest infrastructure dreams through cinematic storytelling via sustained communication, over the years. -
Hero Dirt Biking - Mtv
-
Molbio Diagnostics
Transmedia content strategy developed. -
& more.
CONTENT STRATEGY
As a Transmedia content strategist, Ankit builds strategies that are not just planned but performed. Like a modern-day pied piper, he crafts stories that spark curiosity, draw audiences in, and keeps them engaged across the board. This approach shaped the long-term narrative identity for Bengaluru Airport’s Terminal 2 and led a multi-platform content strategy for Molbio Diagnostics.
-
KIAB Airport - Terminal 2 (Long term)
-
Molbio Diagnostics (Transmedia)
BROADCAST
Ankit has been a core contributor to the non-fiction programming team in the early build-up to the launch of a Zee Network channel.
VIDEO REFERENCES
Kalpana | Premieres 8th March 9 PM | #InternationalWomensDay
Kalpana | Premieres 8th March 9 PM | #InternationalWomensDay
Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa | Ep 26 | Love Special | Full Episode | 10 Feb 2024
Airtel x Adobe Express | Everyone Can Design | Season 1
Can Road Signs Be Funny? | It Happens Only in India | National Geographic
TESTIMONIALS
"Ankit earned the nickname 'Spielberg' while working with us many moons ago. At that time it just seemed organic; in hindsight it's almost prophetic given his career trajectory. I think the secret sauce is his ability to see things from a very unique lens especially visually"
ARADHANA BHOLA, MD, FREMANTLE INDIA
“It is Ankit’s 360 degree involvement on a project, that makes working with him interesting. His ability to see the larger picture and over all impact of the content he is creating is what sets him apart.”
KAPIL MOTWANI, AVP, Original Productions, AETN18
“Ankit’s passion for directing was evident from the first day I met him. He created an air of excitement and fun while shooting. I used to look forward to the shoots with him. ”
NINA MANUEL, Former Super Model and TV Host
