Prasoon Joshi

Prasoon Joshi (born 16 September 1971) is the Chairman Asia Pacific & CEO of McCann Worldgroup India. He is also a Writer, Poet, Lyricist, Screenwriter and Advertising guru. He has won the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award three times, twice consecutively – in 2007 and 2008 and again in 2014 for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Prasoon has also received the National Film Award for Best Lyrics twice, once for his work in Taare Zameen Par (2007), and Chittagong (2013). He has been awarded Padma Shri by Government of India for his contribution towards the field of Arts, Literature and Advertising.

Early Life & Education

Prasoon Joshi was born on 16 September 1971 in Almora, Uttarakhand, India, where he spent a part of his childhood, and since his father, D. K. Joshi, served as a PCS officer (civil service), with the state government and later became Additional Director-Education, he spent his growing years in various towns including Narendra Nagar, Tehri, Chamoli Gopeshwar, and later Rampur, Meerut and Dehradun. Both his parents are qualified classical vocalists, in fact his mother, sushma Joshi, who was a lecturer in Political Science, also performed for All India Radio for over three decades.

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, subsequently he has published two more books.

After his schooling, he did his B.Sc. and Post Graduation in Physics, thereafter he did his MBA from Institute of Management Technology, a business school located in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, India. During his MBA education he decided to make his career in advertising.

Career

He started his career with Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) Delhi, and after working there for over 10 years, he joined McCann-Erickson, in early 2002. By 2006, he was Regional creative director, South and South East Asia, when in December 2006 he was elevated to Executive Chairman for McCann Worldgroup India and Regional Creative Director Asia Pacific.

He made his debut as film lyricist with Rajkumar Santoshi’s Lajja, which soon led to Yash Chopra’s Hum Tum and a string of popular Bollywood films, Fanaa, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par, Black, Hum Tum and Delhi 6. With Rang De Basanti (2006), he also became a dialogue writer.

Prasoon has also created many advertisements like NDTV India (“Sach dikhate hain hum”), Saffola (“Abhi to main jawan hoon”) LG, Marico, Perfetti (Alpenliebe, Chloromint), and the thanda matlab campaign for Coca Cola with Aamir Khan, Happydent -which is considered by experts as India’s best ad till date, he has rightfully earned the title of “the ad Guru of India”.

In 2006, he was chosen a ‘Young Global Leader 2006’ by the Forum of Young Global Leaders, an affiliate of the World Economic Forum, and in 2007, he appeared as judge of reality singing competition Dhoom Macha De on NDTV Imagine. In 2008 he was invited as the Cannes Jury Chairman and in 2009, he was named amongst the exclusive 10-member Cannes Titanium & Integrated Jury 2009 at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival 2009.

Personal Life

Prasoon met his wife Aparna, also an advertising professional, while working at O&M Delhi, later they married and the couple now has a daughter named Aishaanya.

Filmography

• Sikandar (2009)
• London Dreams (2009)
• Delhi 6 (2009)
• Ghajini (2008)
• Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (2008)
• Taare Zameen Par (Like Stars on Earth) (2007)
• Fanaa (2006)
• Rang De Basanti (2006)
• Black (2005)
• Rok Sako To Rok Lo (2004)
• Phir Milenge (2005)
• Hum Tum (2004)
• Aankhen (2002)
• Lajja (film) (2001)

Private Albums

He has been the lyricist for several Indipop albums which have been hits:

• Mann ke Manjeere – an album of women’s dreams for Breakthrough for Shubha Mudgal (2000)
• Ab ke Saawan for Shubha Mudgal(1999)
• Dooba Dooba Rehta Hoon” for Silk Route.

Advertising

He has created the advertisements for the following products:

• Coca Cola – `Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola’
• Chlormint
• Asian paints
• Cadbury
• NDTV India
• CNN IBN – India Rising
• Pulse Polio Program
• Vacao Scooty
• Close up
• Ponds
• Happydent
• ING

Public Service Campaigns

• Breakthrough Trusts’Anti HIV campaign
• Pulse Polio
• National Literacy Mission- Child Education Films
• UN Millennium Goals- Anti poverty Campaign
• Anti child abuse
• Cancer Patients society- Against Tobacco consumption.

Writer-Musician

• Tsunami relief; album Asha wali dhoop with Ustad Zakir Hussian
• Lau- an album that focusses on hope for the HIV positive.
• Sapna dekha hai Maine- for the girl child, Anthem for CRY (Child Rights and You)

His poetic outburst “Iss baar nahin” in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 gave a voice to the angst of millions of Indians. Prasoon Joshi is also part of the select three member Core Creative Advisory Committee for the Commonwealth Games 2010 along with Shri Shyam Benegal and Shri Javed Akhtar.

Awards

Advertising

• 2002 – ABBY – Best Copywriter and the Best Ad Campaign.
• 2003 – Cannes Lion Award – Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival – Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola campaign.
• He has won more than 200 advertising awards.
• Awarded by Media magazine- No 1 Creative director in Asia Pacific 2007.

Lyricist

• 2005 – Star Screen Award for Best Lyricist – Hum Tum – Sason ko Sason.
• 2007 – Filmfare Best Lyricist Award – Fanaa – Chand Sifarish.
• 2008 – National Film Award:Best Lyrics – Taare Zameen Par
• 2008 – Filmfare Best Lyricist Award – Taare Zameen Par – Maa.
• 2009 – Indian of the year (NDTV) Entertainer of the Year 2008. Special Award for Lyrics.