Ekant Babani Steps In as Partner & COO at SSFA (Shekhar Suman Film Academy), Bringing 25+ Years of Industry Experience
Mumbai : As the SSFA (Shekhar Suman Film Academy) begins shaping its identity as a new-age training ground for actors and storytellers, it brings on board Ekant Babani as Partner and Chief Operating Officer, marking a significant step in building a structure that aligns creative ambition with strong execution.
In this role, Babani will be closely involved in defining how the academy functions at every level. From designing industry-relevant programmes to ensuring operational efficiency, his focus will be on building an institution that is both creatively driven and professionally run. Working alongside Mr Shekhar Suman, he will help translate the academy’s larger vision into a practical, immersive learning experience for every student.
With over 25 years in the Indian entertainment industry, Ekant Babani brings a career that spans multiple formats and roles. He began on the creative front, assisting on ad films and feature projects, while also creating award-winning short films such as Mudra, which was screened at multiple festivals and getting awarded at The Broadcast India Film Festival. His critically acclaimed short film Anonymous, featuring Yashpal Sharma, travelled across multiple international film festivals and was extremely well received. He later moved onto non-fiction storytelling, directing lifestyle and adventure reality shows for platforms like National Geographic, MTV, and UTV Stars.
Over time, he built Alligator Media Productions, an end to end media production house, working with platforms and brands including Zee5, Hungama Play, Tata Sky, and Kellogg’s India. His work includes directing two seasons of the award-winning series Damaged and over 100 episodes of branded content for Kelloggs India and the edgy and VFX heavy 8 part series Skyfire for Z5. His feature film Famous Pandey further adds to his body of work, having travelled to 11 International film festivals. Babani has also held key leadership roles across the Industry, including Fiction Head at EndemolShine India, Digital Head at Tangerine Digital Entertainment, and Programming Head at Travel XP, where he was part of launching India’s first HD travel channel.
Speaking on the association, Ekant Babani said, “This feels like the right moment to build something meaningful with Mr Shekhar Suman and the team. The idea behind SSFA (Shekhar Suman Film Academy) is not just to create an academy, but to build a space that genuinely prepares people for what the industry demands today. There is a clear vision here, one that respects legacy but continues to evolve, and I’m looking forward to contributing to a system where creativity and structure can co-exist, and where students leave with both skill and a real understanding of how this industry works.”
As the academy continues to take shape, this partnership signals a clear intent to go beyond conventional training models and build something that is grounded, forward-looking, and deeply connected to the realities of the industry. Registrations for the inaugural batch are now open at https://shekharsumanfilmacademy.com/
