Your 5pm to 9pm routine after your 9 to 5?

I think it would be a little unrealistic for me to say that my day ends at 5. It usually goes on till 8. From 8-9, I try to spend some time with my family, especially my daughter. We catch up on her homework and spend some time together, although that doesn't happen every single day. After 9, it's about winding down. I'm an early sleeper, so by 10/10:30, I'm usually out.

A book, show, or movie you recently watched and would recommend?

If you like films in other Indian languages, I would recommend these Malayalam films. Mollywood Times and Vaazha 2. And Mohiniyattam, it's a series.

What wins would you like to celebrate from the last six months, at work and in life?

One of the biggest wins for me has been the way we've integrated technology into different aspects of our work. It's no longer limited to creativity; we're using it across performance, organisational efficiency, dashboards, and several other areas. Seeing that integration happen at scale has been exciting. On the personal front, consistency has been a big win for me. I've been regular with the gym, picked up padel. One of my favourite personal highlights was a family trip where all my siblings were able to get together. Having everyone in one place and spending that time together was genuinely special.

Any work projects from the last six months that particularly stood out?

On-ground experiences have been the flavour of the season. Mumbai Cricket Association and Devil Wears Prada 2  x Diet Coke were definitely among the more exciting projects. With Mumbai Cricket Association, being part of an activation and actually standing in the middle of Wankhede alongside Rohit Sharma was a pretty memorable experience. The Devil Wears Prada 2 x Diet Coke activation was exciting because it gave us an opportunity to create something beyond a conventional brand communication.

Which industry leader has impacted you the most?

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to learn from a lot of people, and each person has left me with something different. It's really been a combination of people and experiences that have shaped the way I think and work today.

What do you think is the biggest development in the A&M industry this month?

The conversation around AI seems to have become more measured. We're now moving beyond the initial excitement and hype.

An ad film from the previous month that caught your attention?

I wouldn't necessarily limit it to just the previous month, but a Malayalam ad of ChatGPT featuring Lal really caught my attention. Great insight, tight writing, great execution. Malayalam advertising has been producing some very interesting and unconventional work, and this was one of those pieces.

This column was first published in our September issue. Click here to buy a copy!