From learning about detailing and processing of ads to handling big-budget, binged events on popular networks such as Zee and Sony, read about Pankti’s exciting and enduring journey right here. Pankti had an inherent drive toward pursuing something creative. Her love for the arts, literature, poetry, and music solidified her creative instincts. In inciting the fire to take this direction, the Bachelor’s in Mass Media course curriculum at Jai Hind College played cupid; it instantly drew her attention to advertising.
Through the BMM program course, she learned a great deal about consumer insights, brand values, marketing, and people management. Here, she grasped the entire process and details of creating ads. The course curriculum added fuel to her fire for advertising. The essence of advertising stems from communication, even if it is visual. This insight was crucial in laying the blueprint for her career path ahead.
In furthering her knowledge with FLAME
After completing her BMM, the next step was to broaden her knowledge of the media industry. This is where FLAME happened! Pankti enrolled in the MBA (Communications Management) program. The liberal education at FLAME exposed Pankti to varied subjects, including finance, strategy, marketing, and television. Along with making her a well-rounded student, the liberal education prepared her for leadership. Pankti posits that when accelerating through the career path, one needs to have a basic understanding of different departments and verticals.
The beginning of her real-world training
At the beginning of her journey, as a trainee at TAM Research Media, she got to understand the world of television at length. Here, she learned how television ratings are measured and the strategies that broadcasters deploy for scaling up their weekly ratings. She also took a deep dive into content creation. She got a holistic perspective of how research can help drive content and creativity in relevant contexts.
In bagging her recognition with Zee
A brand of note, Zee gave Pankti her most crucial exposure. Here, she bagged over five years of experience. Pankti moved up the ranks from management trainee to Senior Manager of Programming. Pankti began her journey at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited with channels such as Zee Cafe. She was responsible for content creation, and her work involved ensuring smooth shoots, sought-after edits, and brainstorming content line-ups. Later, she graduated from the flagship channel, Zee TV, where she became the supervisor and managed non-fiction shows such as Saregama and Dance India Dance (DID).
Her surge with Sony
She later moved to Sony Pictures Networks India. At Sony, her four-plus years of experience and creative side blossomed! She managed and supervised renowned, inspiration-inducing shows such as Kaun Banega Crorepati, India’s Got Talent, The Kapil Sharma Show, and Shark Tank. Apart from these, she also gets involved with developing and researching novel formats and shows.
Becoming a well-rounded talent
The media and television industries require several skills! First is a passion and zeal for creation and storytelling. The second is being a people person. Another is the management of time and resources. Acing this sector is no easy feat.
Liberal education through varied disciplines at FLAME came to the rescue for Pankti. At the outset, Pankti developed a detailed understanding of branding, research data, viewer demographics, design, finance, and budgeting. In understanding the design aspect, she also grasped varied facets such as sets, costumes, and event props. Pankti quickly learned that understanding design is paramount and a big plus point.
Lastly, one also needs to feel the emotions to traverse the concept into relatable content for the viewers. The visual appeal and aesthetics steal the show and capture the audience’s attention.
Let’s get real!
It is all showbiz! It seems glamorous from the outside. The reality is starkly different. The media and television space are riddled with considerable hard work and stress. But, there is also a lot of exposure and continuous learning. So, there are some positives for aspirants to take solace in and look forward to in this field.
The task of entertaining millions of viewers is both fulfilling and inexplicable. It takes one to experience that feeling.
Her inspirational journey so far is nothing short of spectacular. Pankti’s zeal makes her a pantheon for aspirants.