Lady Who Grew Up Watching Her Parents Fight Constantly Due To Lack Of Money Becomes Successful, Starts Her Own Law Firm

Lady Who Grew Up Watching Her Parents Fight Constantly Due To Lack Of Money Becomes Successful, Starts Her Own Law Firm

“At 25, I landed my 1st client—𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗸𝗮𝗿! Growing up in a chawl, I couldn’t dream big. Mom & Dad fought constantly due to lack of money.

I wanted an out. So 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟱 , frustrated, I joined a theatre workshop that got me the chance to 𝗰𝗼-𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗩 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄.

I now knew I loved writing. Dad encouraged it, but Mom wanted me to study Science. 𝗦𝗼 𝗜 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲.

One day, we had a writing workshop in our college. That one session opened doors to the world of entertainment! My mentor, Kiran, helped me write several shows. But my happiness was short-lived. 𝗗𝗮𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 & I felt the weight of his absence.

There was no time to grieve; I was in a 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝟰 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 , & I had to provide for us. So I took every TV writing gig I got–we had to survive.
But after graduation, I had to make a decision. 𝗜 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗮𝘄 and I’d study while on set, writing. And when I topped, Mom was the happiest!

6 months later, Kiran got in touch again. He needed a lawyer for a singer. One word and I recognised her voice–𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗸𝗮𝗿. I was starstruck!

Word spread, & soon, I was representing other celebrities. It was a big deal because back then, entertainment law wasn’t a thing. But for the 1st time, I had financial security. So, in 2014, 𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗞𝗵𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶 & 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀.

It’s been 𝟭𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲. I’ve represented so many celebrities—Badshah, Raja Kumari, Sushmita Sen, Vir Das, AR Rahman. It’s hard to believe that it started with just one phone call with Lata Mangeshkar…Today, I no longer live in the chawl I was born in. But Mom still does—she’s lived there all her life. She’s proud I’m giving women opportunities—our firm is 100% female-led!

My never-give-up attitude brought me from a chawl in Mahim to being called ‘the face of entertainment law.’ This is not the end; this is just the beginning! And I’ll keep soaring…𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗱𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲!”

Written by: Nisha Shah

Source: Humans of Bombay

Email: elora.akpotosevbe@yahoo.com