Resul Pookutty makes history

Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty hold the Oscars for achievement in sound mixing for their work on "Slumdog Millionaire"
Los Angeles: After winning the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), 36-year-old Resul Pookutty has created history by becoming the first Indian to bag the Oscar for best sound mixing for the critically acclaimed film "Slumdog Millionaire".

Pookutty shared the Oscar with Ian Tapp and Richard Pryke for their work in the Mumbai-based rags-to-riches drama directed by British filmmaker Danny Boyle.

"This is unbelievable. I share this stage with two magicians...I dedicate this award to my country," Pookutty said while accepting the award here Sunday.

Pookutty, who lives in Mumbai with his wife and two young children, got his big break in Bollywood with the critically acclaimed 2005 film "Black" that was directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

He subsequently engineered sound for productions like "Musafir" (2004), "Zinda" (2006), "Traffic Signal" (2007), "Gandhi, My Father" (2007), "Saawariya" (2007) and "Dus Kahaniyaan" (2007) apart from several others. He also designed sound for the 2008 blockbuster "Ghajini", starring Aamir Khan.

Pookutty is now looking forward to Sanjay Leela Bhansali's next film. But he is currently busy doing the sound of Rajat Kapoor's "Rectangular Love Story", Suarabh Shukla's "Pappu Can't Dance Saala" and new director Sharad's "Rangeen In Love".

Pookutty, who hails from Kerala, did his schooling in Malayalam medium. He was the youngest of eight children and had a passion for films right from his young days.

Though Pookutty's father was keen that he should become a doctor, he failed the medical entrance examinations.

After finishing his graduation, he took admission to a law course in 1990. Going against his father's wishes, he dropped out of law college in Thiruvananthapuram and joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune in 1995.