Prasoon Joshi

Prasoon Joshi

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

Prasoon Joshi (born 16 September 1971) is an renowned Indian lyricist, screenwriter and ad-guru. He is current CEO of McCann World group India and Chairman (Asia Pacific), a subsidiary of global marketing firm McCann Erickson. He is also a writer and poet, mainly in Hindi and English languages. He has received Padma Shri in 2015, Filmfare Best Lyricist Award three times, twice consecutively: in 2007 and 2008 and again in 2014 for Hindi movie 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).[1] He has been awarded Padma Shri by Government of India for his contribution towards the field of Arts, Literature and Advertising in 2015.[2]

Early life and education

Prasoon Joshi spent his earliest years in Almora, in 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, India. 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

He started his career with one of the world's leading agencies, Ogilvy & Mather, in Delhi. Over 10 years, he became a creative star and rose to be executive creative director of the flagship Mumbai office. In early 2002, he joined McCann-Erickson as executive vice-president and national creative director. By 2006, he was regional creative director, South and South East Asia. In December 2006 he was elevated to executive chairman for McCann Worldgroup India and regional creative director for Asia Pacific.[7]

Prasoon has a string of highly acclaimed advertisements to his credit. Notable are his 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 is considered by experts as India's best ad till date and was that year (2007)[8] listed by the authoritative Bob Garfield of AdvertisingAge as one of his personal choices for the Cannes Gold. He has rightfully earned the title of "The Ad Guru of India".[3]

Prasoon has created other acclaimed and award-winning advertising pieces in press and TV for a wide roster of brands:[9]

Prasoon created the famous Happydent Campaign, chosen by a Gunn Report poll as one of the 20 best ads of the 21st century.[10][11][12]

Advertising for public service campaigns

Prasoon has offered his services for public service campaigns, which include

Film career

He made his debut as 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.[15]

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.

Prasoon's work for Script Screenplay and dialogue Writing is highly appreciated in Feature Film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag released in July 2013

Global and national recognition

In 2014, Prasoon will be the first Asian to be the Chairman of the Cannes Titanium Jury. 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.[16] In 2006, he was chosen a 'Young Global Leader 2006' by the Forum of Young Global Leaders, an affiliate of the World Economic Forum,[17] In 2007, he was asked to be a judge of the nationally popular reality singing competition Dhoom Macha De on NDTV Imagine.[18] 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

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.[19]

Private albums

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

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.[20]

Awards

He was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 2015.[21]

Advertising

Prasoon has won more than 200 national and international awards.

Lyricist

Scriptwriter

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

  1. ↑ Prasoon Joshi for Kamal Haasan's Viswaroopam 2 – Times Of India
  2. ↑ http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/humbled-motivated-prasoon-joshi-on-winning-padma-shri/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. 1 2 3 Meet Prasoon Joshi, India's ad guru by Shyamal Majumdar. Rediff.com, 19 October 2005.
  4. ↑ Prasoon Joshi Interview creativeuttarakhand (Myor Pahad).
  5. 1 2 Breakfast With Prasoon Joshi, The Economic Times', 3 May 2008.
  6. ↑ "http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-02-01/news/46897958_1_prasoon-joshi-bollywood-mann-ke-manjeere". Economictimes.com. The Economic Times. Retrieved 22 November 2015. External link in |title= (help)
  7. ↑ McCann top deck gets a new look The Economic Times, 16 December 2006.
  8. ↑ Will there be Happy sent smiles at Cannes? by Pritha Mitra Dasgupta. DNAindia.com, 16 June 2007.
  9. ↑ See euttaranchal.
  10. ↑ URL:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/advertising/prasoon-joshis-happydent-commercial-among-20-best-ads-of-21st-century-report/articleshow/50019407.cms
  11. ↑ http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/46467_Happydent-Palace-on-Gunn-Reports-20-ads-of-century
  12. ↑ http://www.hindustantimes.com/business/happydent-palace-ad-is-among-20-best-this-century/story-Ol5jpnWxGzkJfl0BnhnhnK.html
  13. ↑ Prasoon Joshi. Rising Indian Business Line, The Hindu, 8 February 2007.
  14. ↑ Umeed Waali Dhoop by Prasoon Joshi Lyricstaal, 16 June 2014.
  15. ↑ Adman Prasoon Joshi has now turned dialogue-writer! The Times of India, 12 December 2005.
  16. ↑ http://www.canneslions.com/lions/videos.cfm?media_id=1367&tag=107 Prasoon Joshi on Cannes Titanium jury The Economic Times, 27 February 2009.
  17. ↑ Prasoon Joshi chosen Young Global Leader Rediff.com, 13 January 2006.
  18. ↑ NDTV ropes in Shankar Mahadevan and Prasoon Joshi Wednesday, 28 November 2007.
  19. ↑ Subhash K. Jha 17 March 2009 Prasoon Joshi gets inspired after watching Sikandar, pens down a poetry Bollywood Hungama, accessed on 10 April 2012
  20. ↑ IANS 7 May 2012 Aamir, Prasoon Joshi to make 50 short films on malnutrition (Accessed on 26 May 2012)
  21. ↑ "Padma Awards 2015". Press Information Bureau. Archived from the original on 26 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  22. ↑ IRDS Awards: Vidya Balan wins best actress for THE DIRTY PICTURE – bollywood news : glamsham.com

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