When Aparna Purohit was named the new CEO of Aamir Khan Productions, it felt like a coming full circle moment, one that had been quietly brewing for over two decades. The title may be new, but the journey behind it is not overnight. In 2003, Aparna arrived in Mumbai with nothing but a suitcaseconviction and a dream to tell stories. I wanted to be an independent director and producer and make a mark in an industry that rarely makes room easily. Surprisingly, his first chance almost came. A week after landing in the city, he got a job as an assistant director on a television show. But the tranquility ends there.
When Aparna Purohit first came to Mumbai
“I was the only female assistant director,” she later told Forbes India. The distinction came with its own set of challenges. The work was demanding and the environment unforgiving, but Aparna stayed the course. Her dedication soon led her to assist some of the most respected names in the industry, including Aparna Sen, Bharatbala and Naseeruddin Shah.
Left corporate job to pursue dreams
Seeking stability, he took on corporate roles at Sony Entertainment Television and UTV Motion Pictures. However, the appeal of independent storytelling proved stronger. In 2008, he left his corporate job to launch Chaaryaar Productions with three friends, a leap of faith that felt like the fulfillment of his long-cherished dream. Reality, however, came quickly and mercilessly.
They developed multiple stories, pitched relentlessly, and knocked on every studio door they could find. “We went from studio to studio, door to door… but nothing happened,” Aparna recalls.
When she decided to return to the business world, she was hit by the global recession. Jobs were scarce. Re-entering the system was more difficult than exiting it. “Coming back wasn’t easy. It was a very hard year.”
In BombayWithout a steady income, Aparna did whatever it took to survive (teaching, voice-overs, script consulting) often for little money. Yet despite the uncertainty, one thing never wavered: her belief that she was meant to tell stories.
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The concert that changed everything
After almost two years of struggle, a pivotal opportunity arrived. Aparna joined the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) as a consultant. The season changed everything. For the first time, he found himself on the other side of the table: working with writers and creators around the world, helping to shape and strengthen their stories.
Something clicked. He discovered joy not only in telling stories, but also in allowing them. “This was really my calling,” he realized.
That idea changed his career. Aparna joined Mumbai Mantra Media, the film arm of Mahindra Group, as head of creative initiatives, where she led her collaboration with Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute at the Screenwriters Lab, an experience that further sharpened her creative instincts.
When Aparna Purohit joined Amazon Prime India
In 2016, Aparna joined Amazon Prime Video as Director of Creative Development, one of the original members when the streaming platform launched in India. His rise somewhat fast. She was soon promoted to head of India Originals, putting her at the center of India’s OTT storytelling revolution.
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Under his leadership, Amazon Prime Video backed iconic shows like The Family Man, Mirzapur, Made in Heaven, Paatal Lok and Panchayat, series that not only became successful but changed audience expectations.
Much of that momentum was fueled by Aparna’s instinctive understanding of the pulse of the audience.
She commissioned Mirzapur, which became the platform’s most-watched show in India. The Family Man, which premiered in 2019, emerged as a cultural phenomenon and its third season became the most-watched series in India during its launch week, reaching 96% of the country’s zip codes and trending in the Top 5 in over 35 countries.
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Shows like Made in Heaven and Paatal Lok were not only critically successful but launched actors like Jaideep Ahlawat and Abhishek Banerjee to national prominence. Panchayat, with its quiet charm, proved that rooted storytelling can find mass appeal.
Equally significant was Aparna’s push towards regional storytelling, with shows like Haraa, Masti’s and Dhootha, expanding Prime Video’s footprint beyond Hindi-speaking audiences.
In 2018, Prime Video had 7 million paid subscribers in India. Last year that number had reportedly increased to 30 million. During a visit to India in March 2024, Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, called India one of the platform’s largest and fastest-growing markets globally. Indian content, it revealed, was in the global Top 10 for 43 out of 52 weeks in 2023 and was viewed in 210 countries and territories.
In her eight years at Amazon Prime Video, Aparna Purohit released more than 56 originals and 60 direct-to-service films in six languages, according to Fortune India, a staggering result that helped redefine the streaming landscape in India.