When Cinema Meets the Boardroom
Exploring how modern management transformed one of the world’s largest creative industries.
Cinema has fascinated me for as long as I can remember — not only as a storyteller’s medium, but as an industry where creativity, commerce, and culture intersect. My doctoral research began with a simple question:
What happens when one of the world’s largest creative industries embraces modern management?
That question led to my doctoral thesis at the University of Mumbai, titled “Application of Modern Management to Indian Film Industry with Special Reference to Mumbai.” Completed during the centenary year of Indian cinema, it remains among the early business research studies to examine the industry’s transformation through the lens of management.
The Research
Drawing on extensive interactions with producers and film industry professionals in Mumbai, the research explored how corporatization and professional management were reshaping the Indian film industry.
Its central argument was simple:
Professional management isn’t just compatible with creative filmmaking — it is the catalyst that unlocks scale, sustainability, and long-term success.
The research demonstrated how modern management practices helped the industry:
- Scale production more efficiently
- Integrate the filmmaking value chain from script to screen
- Diversify financial and operational risk
- Strengthen strategic planning and decision-making
- Professionalize marketing, finance, production, distribution, and exhibition
While the research focused on cinema, the broader lesson was universal: creativity flourishes when supported by thoughtful management, not constrained by it.
The research reinforced a belief I continue to hold today: sustainable transformation happens when creativity is strengthened by thoughtful management, disciplined execution, and a willingness to embrace change.
A Memorable Milestone
The graphical edition of the thesis was released on 1 October 2013 by Shri R. P. Chandaria — industrialist, philanthropist, and one of the guiding inspirations behind the GujaratiLexicon movement.
It remains one of the most cherished milestones of my academic journey and was, poignantly, among Shri Chandaria’s final public releases.
The occasion was also graced by Shri Uttam Gajjar, Shri Vimal Chandaria, and Shri Rashmi Chandaria, making it a memorable celebration of scholarship, cinema, and lifelong learning.
