Hozefa Alibhai to lead Gobsmack! in India

Before this, Alibhai was with Publicis Communications, as films chief.

After heading the films division at Publicis Communications for almost half a decade, Hozefa Alibhai (Hozi) has now joined the production house Gobsmack!.

Alibhai joins as executive producer and managing director, and will lead the production company's operations in India.

On his appointment, Shyam Madiraju, co-founder, Gobsmack!, says, "We knew we have the best directors on our roster. However, what was missing was someone who could provide the local leadership. We wanted a person who has an immaculate relationship with creative agencies, as well as with clients. Having worked with Alibhai earlier, I knew we had the right person in him to lead Gobsmack!."

Having spent around 14 years in advertising agencies, Alibhai now moves to a production house, and says that it is a different ball game altogether.

"It is fabulous working in a production house after spending so much time in agencies. The people are different. There is a lot of learning and the learning is great. Knowing how Madiraju works and the kind of quality Gobsmack! brings to the table, I knew there will not be any compromise when it came to work. What is being promised will be delivered. That excited me," says Alibhai.

Alibhai began his career with Ogilvy India in 1997. After a three-year stint, he moved to McCann Erickson, where he worked for close to seven years before joining Publicis.

Among the various films he has worked on, Alibhai fondly recalls his work for Coca-Cola (Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola), Maggi, and Garnier.

He has won accolades at global film festivals for the short films that he worked on with Naren Multani.

According to Madiraju, Gobsmack!, founded in 2008, is a place that "makes pieces of art and not just money". In the recent past, the production house has worked on films for Chevrolet, Nestle (Kit Kat Squirrels), Ceat Tyres (Road filled with idiots), TVS Motorcycles, and Nestea, among others.