Mohammed Nagaman Lateef, the founder of the prestigious International Iconic Awards, is now making a strong mark in the talent management and content space with his association with Balaji’s talent initiative, Hoonur. Since joining in December, Lateef has taken charge as the Talent Head, leading the entire Hoonur department across Balaji Motion Pictures, Balaji Telefilms and Balaji Digital.
Speaking about his journey, Mohammed Nagaman Lateef shares that Hoonur’s vision is to bring all kinds of talent under one umbrella. “Balaji has already given more than 500 artists to the Indian entertainment industry. Most of the veterans and leading actors today have come from Balaji. Now it’s time to create the next generation of stars through Hoonur,” he says.
Under his leadership, Hoonur already boasts of a strong lineup of over 50 artists, including popular names like Urvashi Dholakia, Riddhi Dogra, Shiny Doshi and Shiv Thakare. Recently, the banner completed an exciting music video shoot in Jaipur featuring Aditya Khurana and Shagun Sharma of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 fame, which is set to release soon. Hoonur has also cast talents like Swati Sharma for Kyunki 2 and Sahil Uppal as well as Kanika Mann for Naagin 7, further strengthening its presence in television and digital entertainment.
Lateef believes that Hoonur is about identifying raw potential and polishing it for the industry. “Balaji has identified my hunar, and now I am identifying the hunar of others,” he says, adding that his inspiration to join Balaji came from Ekta Kapoor. “She has ruled every Indian household with her storytelling. She saw my potential and made me the Talent Head. That itself is a huge honour and responsibility.”
Having awarded more than 500 artists in his journey — from global icons like Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Singh to renowned actors such as Rani Mukerji, Ayushmann Khurrana, Sunny Leone, Sushmita Sen and Raveena Tandon — Lateef now finds himself in a completely new role. From awarding and presenting to producing, talent signing and now even hosting a podcast titled Honestly, Why Not ?with MNL, he is exploring multiple dimensions of the entertainment industry.
“From awarding, to producing, to presenting, and now to talent management and even hosting my podcast ‘Honestly, Why Not? with MNL’, it’s a whole new vibe and a completely new challenge. Working closely with artists, understanding their journeys, and creating opportunities for them through Hoonur is extremely fulfilling. It’s a different responsibility, but one that I am thoroughly enjoying,” he says.
