Yash Raj Films appoints Usha Rachael Thomas as Head of Communications Strategy
Yash Raj Films (YRF) has appointed media and public relations veteran Usha Rachael Thomas as Head of Communications Strategy.
In her new role, Thomas will lead the studio’s external narrative and brand positioning across YRF and its talent agency. Her mandate encompasses press strategy, social media operations, corporate image management, and executive communications, alongside expanding the company’s footprint across global and local media platforms. She will also spearhead communication strategies across YRF’s various business ventures.
Thomas will report directly to Akshaye Widhani, Chief Executive Officer of Yash Raj Films.
Akshaye Widhani, CEO, Yash Raj Films, said, “As YRF’s businesses continue to grow globally, how we tell our stories to the world matters as much as the stories themselves. Usha brings a combination of adaptive & agile newsroom instinct sharpened across two decades of leading communications for some of India’s biggest media and entertainment giants. Her perspective will be instrumental as we shape communications strategies, built for scale and across all our businesses. We look forward to the value she brings to our leadership team.”
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Thomas brings over two decades of experience spanning journalism, corporate communications, and brand management. A former journalist with Indiantelevision.com and HT Media, she previously held key leadership roles at major media networks, including Star India, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), and streaming platform MX Player. During her tenure across these organizations, she led integrated communication campaigns across broadcast, digital media, streaming, and film.
Over her career, Thomas has spearheaded multiple award-winning initiatives, including an Abby Award Gold for the #ZeeforAll accessibility campaign during the satellite premiere of Dangal, and a Cannes Lion for Lux’s “The End” campaign. She also co-developed an MX Player business case study alongside MICA, which was published by Ivey Publishing, listed by the Harvard Case Centre, and named to Ivey’s Bestsellers list.
Beyond corporate and studio communications, Thomas will oversee public relations and social media strategy for YRF Talent’s roster, which includes high-profile actors such as Rani Mukerji, Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonam Kapoor, Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda, Sharvari, Vaani Kapoor, and Shreya Chaudhry.
