Being the daughter of one of India’s most successful showmen, Subhash Ghai, Meghna Ghai Puri could have chosen a career in the movies. But when glamour failed to entice her, she chose to follow her entrepreneurial instincts instead. Today, she is the president of a `70 crore project, which also happens to be one of India’s biggest film schools, Whistling Woods.
“I grew up with so much glamour around me that I never got enamoured by it,” she says explaining why she didn’t follow in her father’s footsteps. However, she admits that it was his dream that egged her on to materialise the school. “When my father arrived in the city many years ago, he realised that the monopoly in the world of showbiz left little place for a newcomer. That’s when he made a promise to himself that he would make a place for those who didn’t have a network in the industry.” And though he might not be actively involved with the workings of the school, he continues to be a strong support in her work and personal life. “He is my mentor. I was never brought up as the daughter of a famous dad but I have begun to respect him more and more with every passing year. I have grown to appreciate his achievements more than I did as a child.”
Heading a film school is not something she had planned all along. After finishing her elementary education in Mumbai, Meghna went to London to pursue an International Baccalaureate degree. And since then, London has been like second home to her. And it’s not just because it exposed her to a whole new world but it also introduced her to the love of her life, her husband Rahul Puri. “I met my husband in the first week of college at Kings. We both were studying business management. So in a way, Rahul and I have grown up together. We dated for about five years before tying the knot and to be honest, marriage hasn’t changed a thing for us.”
However, parenthood on the other hand, has. “But only in the most beautiful way possible,” she is quick to add. Despite the sleepless nights, stress and ever so difficult work and family balance, Meghna believes that her child has added a new dimension to her life. “Motherhood has greatly altered my life but I am enjoying every minute of it. Anyone who has kids will know what great stress busters they are,” she gushes.
As of now, Meghna wants to further expand the realms of her work. “There is so much untapped talent in the country that hasn’t been exposed to the world. I want to help groom that talent and make them find their due place in the dynamic media industry,” she says.