Seher Latif’s alma mater, Mumbai's Sophia college, inaugurates studio floor in her name

International casting director and producer Seher Latif died in June this year of a cardiac arrest. Now, the social communications media (SCM) department at her alma mater, the Sophia Smt Manorama Devi Somani College, Mumbai, has started a studio floor in her name to keep her legacy alive.

Sharing this news, Seher’s close friend, actress Dia Mirza, said, “Seher was always a firm believer in a strong foundation — a foundation built on a good education and versatile experiences in life and at work. She always admired SCM and her college Sophia’s as the key influences that helped her create foundational skills and craft the core values and strong work ethic that we came to love and admire her for. This contribution to SCMSophia and future students, I believe, is Seher’s way of saying ‘thank you’.”

The new addition will be “a dedicated 2,000 square foot space in the head of Mumbai. The floor will have a state-of-the-art large broadcast news studio with a fully equipped production control room with audiovisual projection facilities and a smartboard, two editing suites, an audio recording and mixing suite, and a breakout room for students.” The floor and new facilities in Seher’s name were unveiled yesterday.

Seher was co-founder of Mutant Films and worked on Netflix originals like Feels Like Ishq (2021), Maska (2020) and Bhaag Beanie Bhaag (2020). She was also the casting director for international projects like Eat Pray Love (2010), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), The Lunchbox (2013), Furious 7 (2015) and Viceroy’s House (2017), besides shows like McMafia and Sense8.

Co-founder of Mutant Film and Seher's friend Shivani Saran said, “The SCMSophia Seher Latif Memorial Studio is not just a gesture of gratitude from someone who always credited SCM for shaping her into the filmmaker the world knows her as, but is meant to be a tribute to Seher’s extraordinary life and generosity.”

Nirmita Gupta, head of SCMSophia, added, “While I did not personally teach Seher at SCM, I have followed her successes with pride. We are dismayed that a bright star from our constellation has been prematurely dimmed. Her memory will now stay with all future SCMites, thanks to the generous contribution from her business partner and close friend Shivani Saran.”