Prasoon Joshi

Prasoon Joshi
Prasoon Joshi in 2014
Background information
Born	(1971-09-16) 16 September 1971 Almora, Uttarakhand, India
Occupation(s)	poet, advertiser
Years active	1992–present

Prasoon Joshi (born 16 September 1971) is an Indian lyricist, screenwriter, poet and marketer. He is the CEO of McCann World group India and Chairman (Asia Pacific), a subsidiary of the global marketing firm McCann Erickson. He has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification on 11 August 2017.

Prasoon has received the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award three times, in 2007 and 2008 and again in 2014 for the Hindi movie Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. He has also received the National Film Award for Best Lyrics twice, for his work in Taare Zameen Par (2007), and Chittagong (2013).^[1] He was awarded Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2015, for his contributions towards the field of Arts, Literature and Advertising.^[2]

Early life and education

Prasoon Joshi spent his earliest years in Almora, in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand (then part of Uttar Pradesh). His father, D.K. Joshi, served as a PCS officer with the Civil Service of the State Government and later became the Additional Director of the state's Education Service. These early years all across the northern India – and spending time in places like Almora, Nainital (where his extended family and relatives still live), Tehri, Chamoli Gopeshwar, and later Rampur, Meerut and Dehradun^[3][4] – gave Prasoon a remarkable feel for the real Indian pulse that he is now celebrated for in his lyrics and advertising. His mother, Sushma Joshi, a lecturer in political science, performed for the All India Radio for over three decades.^[5] His parents are qualified classical vocalists and daily home life for the young Prasoon was marked with academic discipline, a rich vein of the artistic life and a strong sense of music and culture.^[6]

He started writing early in life and published his first book at age 17, Main Aur Woh, a 'conversation with himself', inspired by Frederich Nietzsche's Thus Spake Zarathustra.^[5] Two more books followed, establishing him as an author.

His latest book, Sunshine Lanes, a collection of his songs, was launched at the Jaipur Literature Festival in January 2013.

Prasoon did his BSc and post graduation in Physics, then elected to pursue an MBA from Institute Of Management Technology, Ghaziabad. During his MBA education he decided to fuse his love for culture and art and his faculty for the commercial dynamic and make his career in advertising.

Advertising

Prasoon started his career with Ogilvy & Mather in Delhi. In just 10 years, he was appointed the Executive Creative Director of the Mumbai office. In early 2002, he joined McCann-Erickson as Executive Vice-President and National Creative Director. By 2006, he was the Regional Creative Director for South and South East Asia. In December 2006 he was promoted to Executive Chairman for McCann Worldgroup India and Regional Creative Director for Asia Pacific.^[7]

Joshi created advertising campaigns for NDTV India (Sach dikhate hain hum), Saffola (Abhi to main jawan hoon) LG, Marico, Perfetti (Alpenliebe, Chlormint), and the Cannes-winning Thanda matlab Coca-Cola campaign with Aamir Khan. His Happydent television commercial was listed by Bob Garfield of AdvertisingAge as one of his personal choices for the Cannes Gold in 2007,^[8] and it was chosen by a Gunn Report poll as one of the 20 best ads of the 21st century.^[9][10]

He also wrote the lyrics for CNN IBN's advertising jingle "India Rising"^[11] and Coke's Ummeed wali dhoop.^[12]

Film career

Javed Akhtar, Prasoon Joshi and Gulzar

Prasoon made his debut as a film lyricist with Rajkumar Santoshi's Lajja, a critical and commercial success, and this soon led to Yash Chopra's Hum Tum and a string of highly successful Bollywood films like Fanaa, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par, Black and Delhi 6. With Rang De Basanti (2006), he also became a dialogue writer.^[13]

He won the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award for "Chand Sifarish" from the film Fanaa in 2007 and for "Maa" from Taare Zameen Par in 2008. He has won the prestigious National Award twice. The first for his work in Taare Zameen Par and the second one in 2013 for Chittagong.

He had also written the script for the award-winning 2014 film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

Global and national recognition

In 2008, he was invited as the Cannes Jury chairman and in 2009, he was named among the exclusive 10-member Cannes Titanium and Integrated Jury at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.^[14] In 2006, he was chosen a 'Young Global Leader 2006' by the Forum of Young Global Leaders, an affiliate of the World Economic Forum,^[15] In 2007, he was asked to be a judge of the nationally popular reality singing competition Dhoom Macha De on NDTV Imagine.^[16] Joshi was part of the select three-member Core Creative Advisory Committee for the Commonwealth Games 2010 opening and closing ceremonies, with Shyam Benegal and Javed Akhtar.

Filmography

• Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (2018)
• Neerja (2016)
• Vishwaroop 2 (2014)
• Satyagraha (2013)
• Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013)
• Ishkq in Paris (2012)
• Teri Meri Kahaani (2012)
• Aarakshan (2011)
• Break Ke Baad (2010)
• Sikandar (2009)
• London Dreams (2009)
• Delhi 6 (2009)
• Ghajini (2008)
• Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (2008)
• Taare Zameen Par (2007)
• Fanaa (2006)
• Rang De Basanti (2006)
• Black (2005)
• Rok Sako To Rok Lo (2004)
• Phir Milenge (2004)
• Hum Tum (2004)
• Aankhen (2002)
• Kyon? (2003)
• Love at Times Square (2003)
• Lajja (2001)
• Bhopal Express (1999)

When Prasoon watched the film Sikander, he was inspired by it and wrote a song called "Dhoop ke sikke". Later, this song was incorporated in the film.^[17]

Short films on malnutrition

Prasoon and Aamir Khan have decided to prepare 50 short films on malnutrition on being invited by the prime minister of India. According to Prasoon, Aamir and he get along well because they do not compromise their work.^[18]

Awards

He was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 2015.^[19]

Personal life

Prasoon met his wife Aparna, also an advertising professional, while working at O&M Delhi. They have been married for over a decade and have a daughter named Aishaanya.

References

External links

• A poem by Prasoon on Ayodhya
• A poem by Prasoon: The girl is talking to her father
• Prasoon Joshi Exposes Indian Ad Industry

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prasoon Joshi.

• Prasoon Joshi on IMDb