Whistling Woods International, Asia's largest film, television and media arts institute, was unveiled by chief guest Dilip Kumar, and guests of honour I&B Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, at Filmcity in Mumbai today.

A host of dignitaries were present to congratulate and convey their best wishes to the Whistling Woods management and the first batch of students. The dignitaries included Anand Mahindra, Shah Rukh Khan, Vinod Khanna, Nagesh Kukunoor, Hema Malini, Jackie Shroff, Jeetendra, Tushar Kapoor, Prem Chopra, Naseerudin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Zeenat Aman, Shabana Azmi and Arun Poorie among others.

Based in Film City, Goregaon in north Mumbai and promoted by Mukta Arts Ltd and Filmcity, Whistling Woods International (WWI) will provide world class training across technical and creative aspects of filmmaking, television animation and other media arts as part of a two-year intensive hands-on training program.

The institute, headed by the dean Kurt Inderbitzin, who is a producer-director from Los Angeles with twelve years of experience in developing, writing, directing, and producing movies and TV shows for major studios and networks.

Other key faculty members include Shyam Benegal (Chairman Academic Council), Aruna Raje (VP, Academic affairs), Naseerudin Shah (HOD, Acting) Anjum Rajabali (HOD, screenwriting) Rakesh Ranjan (HOD, sound design) Rajen Kothari (HOD, cinematography) Umesh Gupta (HOD, editing) and Ashish Kulkarni (HOD, animation).

Speaking on the occasion, Subhash Ghai Chairman WWI said, ''A dream of 10 years has finally been realized. In a way, WWI is my way of repaying the film industry for what I have received from it over the last 27 years.

WWI will act as a stepping stone for anyone who wants to make a career in the world of television, cinema or animation.''

It has been designed to meet the highest international standards- be it in terms of technology, faculty or resources, it has a strong academic and management team with Heads of Departments (HoDs) who will make this institute one of the best film schools in the world, Mr Ghai claimed.

The institute has international affiliations with Seneca college, Canada and the Australian film television and radio school in addition to technology partnerships with Apple corporation, SONY and several other reputed companies.

The student community at WWI would also have the unique opportunity to experience technologies and systems long before other students and professionals do as the institute will include an onsite R&D center which would work as potential Beta Testing Site for its technology partners.