In the glittering, ever-shifting world of Indian entertainment, few PR professionals have managed to carve out a reputation as quietly influential as Prashant Golecha. Known for steering the careers and public images of stars such as Somy Ali, Rajniesh Duggall, Delnaaz Irani, Arjun Bijlani, Sharad Malhotra, Aly Goni, Jasmin Bhasin, Sumbul Touqeer and many others, Golecha’s journey into the world of celebrity PR began, as he puts it, “completely by accident.”
Originally from Jaipur and armed with an MBA in marketing, he arrived in Mumbai with dreams of advertising. “Some of the biggest advertising agencies loved my profile,” he recalls, “but somehow, things just didn’t work out.”
Prashant Golecha www.easterneye.biz
A stint in sales followed, then a position in restaurant marketing — a job that would unexpectedly change the course of his life. When actor Anuj Saxena hosted his birthday celebration at the restaurant, Golecha was put in charge of the PR. “The event was a huge success,” he remembers. “Anuj came to me afterwards and said, ‘Why don’t you handle my personal PR?’ That was the moment everything shifted. That party changed my life.”
From that first assignment came bigger opportunities. A significant turning point was when he handled the Red Chillies TV promotions for Ghar Ki Baat Hai. “That project gave my work incredible visibility,” he says.
Soon after, producer Rajan Shahi roped him in to manage PR for two of his shows — both of which became major hits. “Those projects were milestones,” he says. “My work was suddenly being noticed everywhere.” Another breakthrough came with Simi Garewal’s talk show India’s Most Desirable. “That association strengthened my credibility even further,” he adds. “After that, I never really looked back.”
Unlike many in the industry, Golecha built his career without mentors. “No, I didn’t have anyone guiding me,” he says. “I simply worked hard, kept improving, and learned through experience. Creativity and consistency have always been my tools.”
His success, he believes, comes down to a simple philosophy: mind your business. “It’s the mantra I follow,” he explains. “Understand your client’s needs, their goals, their personality. PR is not just publicity — it’s about being a friend, philosopher and guide.”
He laughs when asked about actors who leave and later return. “Many have come back after realising what they lost. Those who don’t — well, it’s their loss, not ours.”
Authenticity is at the heart of his method. “We customise strategies to match who the client really is,” he says. “I don’t believe in faking it till you make it. If the audience doesn’t see the real person, the connection won’t last.”
Certain successes stand out in his long list of clients. “Rajan Shahi’s Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and Anupamaa set a benchmark in TV show PR,” he says with pride. He also highlights the consistent rise of Arjun Bijlani, who recently won Rise and Fall Season 1. “Seeing him add to his triumphs with that win after years of steady growth was immensely satisfying.”
He also cites his long association with Jasmin Bhasin: “We were with her since her very first project. Watching her journey has been truly rewarding.” One of his most meaningful collaborations has been with Somy Ali, particularly her humanitarian organisation No More Tears. “Her NGO works on domestic violence, child abuse and LGBTQ cases. With consistent PR, its reach has increased tremendously. That is work that genuinely matters.”
But the industry has changed dramatically since he began. “Earlier, PR was just print and some online portals,” he explains. “Now, it’s Instagram, YouTube, Meta — everything. Influencers, digital creators… the ecosystem has expanded massively. And the pace is insane. People want everything instantly.”
Along with evolving tools, he believes one issue needs urgent attention: payment ethics. “Actors’ attitude towards money must change,” he says bluntly. “Top actors have been defaulters — people we shared great bonds with. After taking services, how can someone not pay on time? What you do to others will be done to you. It’s a simple law.” His agency now follows a strict full-advance policy. “And it works.”
With audiences becoming more sceptical, authenticity has become crucial. “We don’t do fake news,” he insists. “No unnecessary hype. We create content that aligns with the client’s real personality. That’s how you keep it credible.”
Crisis management, he says, is a different ballgame altogether in the age of instant outrage. “You have minutes. Every detail matters — the tone, the context, the timing,” he explains. “The right strategy can stop a crisis from escalating. Precision is key.”
He also addresses the biggest misconception about PR professionals: “People think we’re always partying,” he laughs. “But events are work. We’re not there to have fun — we’re there to get things done.”
Handling talent across television, film, lifestyle and digital media keeps him creatively challenged. “Every industry has
different needs,” he says. “Every client comes with a different objective. That’s what makes it exciting.”
Despite the intensity of the job, he remains inspired by the people behind the personas. “Understanding their lives inside out, shaping their identity like clay — that keeps me motivated,” he says. “Each client has a story, and I get to help tell it.”
His advice to young professionals entering celebrity PR is refreshingly grounded: “Remember, PR is a 24x7 job. Don’t get carried away by the glamour. All that glitters is not gold — the real work happens behind the scenes, and it’s far tougher than it looks.”
If he hadn’t found himself in PR, he imagines he would have pursued creative work elsewhere. “Probably copywriting,” he smiles. “Or something in marketing.”
After nearly two decades shaping headlines and guiding careers, his definition of good publicity remains simple. “Good publicity is genuine visibility,” he says. “It’s when people remember the person, not just the noise around them. That’s real impact.”
Film actors, television icons, digital creators, humanitarian organisations — Prashant Golecha breaks down the philosophy that drives his cross-industry influence.
By Asjad Nazir
In the glittering, ever-shifting world of Indian entertainment, few PR professionals have managed to carve out a reputation as quietly influential as Prashant Golecha. Known for steering the careers and public images of stars such as Somy Ali, Rajniesh Duggall, Delnaaz Irani, Arjun Bijlani, Sharad Malhotra, Aly Goni, Jasmin Bhasin, Sumbul Touqeer and many others, Golecha’s journey into the world of celebrity PR began, as he puts it, “completely by accident.”
Originally from Jaipur and armed with an MBA in marketing, he arrived in Mumbai with dreams of advertising. “Some of the biggest advertising agencies loved my profile,” he recalls, “but somehow, things just didn’t work out.”
A stint in sales followed, then a position in restaurant marketing — a job that would unexpectedly change the course of his life. When actor Anuj Saxena hosted his birthday celebration at the restaurant, Golecha was put in charge of the PR. “The event was a huge success,” he remembers. “Anuj came to me afterwards and said, ‘Why don’t you handle my personal PR?’ That was the moment everything shifted. That party changed my life.”
From that first assignment came bigger opportunities. A significant turning point was when he handled the Red Chillies TV promotions for Ghar Ki Baat Hai. “That project gave my work incredible visibility,” he says.
Soon after, producer Rajan Shahi roped him in to manage PR for two of his shows — both of which became major hits. “Those projects were milestones,” he says. “My work was suddenly being noticed everywhere.” Another breakthrough came with Simi Garewal’s talk show India’s Most Desirable. “That association strengthened my credibility even further,” he adds. “After that, I never really looked back.”
Unlike many in the industry, Golecha built his career without mentors. “No, I didn’t have anyone guiding me,” he says. “I simply worked hard, kept improving, and learned through experience. Creativity and consistency have always been my tools.”
His success, he believes, comes down to a simple philosophy: mind your business. “It’s the mantra I follow,” he explains. “Understand your client’s needs, their goals, their personality. PR is not just publicity — it’s about being a friend, philosopher and guide.”
He laughs when asked about actors who leave and later return. “Many have come back after realising what they lost. Those who don’t — well, it’s their loss, not ours.”
Authenticity is at the heart of his method. “We customise strategies to match who the client really is,” he says. “I don’t believe in faking it till you make it. If the audience doesn’t see the real person, the connection won’t last.”
Certain successes stand out in his long list of clients. “Rajan Shahi’s Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and Anupamaa set a benchmark in TV show PR,” he says with pride. He also highlights the consistent rise of Arjun Bijlani, who recently won Rise and Fall Season 1. “Seeing him add to his triumphs with that win after years of steady growth was immensely satisfying.”
He also cites his long association with Jasmin Bhasin: “We were with her since her very first project. Watching her journey has been truly rewarding.” One of his most meaningful collaborations has been with Somy Ali, particularly her humanitarian organisation No More Tears. “Her NGO works on domestic violence, child abuse and LGBTQ cases. With consistent PR, its reach has increased tremendously. That is work that genuinely matters.”
But the industry has changed dramatically since he began. “Earlier, PR was just print and some online portals,” he explains. “Now, it’s Instagram, YouTube, Meta — everything. Influencers, digital creators… the ecosystem has expanded massively. And the pace is insane. People want everything instantly.”
Along with evolving tools, he believes one issue needs urgent attention: payment ethics. “Actors’ attitude towards money must change,” he says bluntly. “Top actors have been defaulters — people we shared great bonds with. After taking services, how can someone not pay on time? What you do to others will be done to you. It’s a simple law.” His agency now follows a strict full-advance policy. “And it works.”
With audiences becoming more sceptical, authenticity has become crucial. “We don’t do fake news,” he insists. “No unnecessary hype. We create content that aligns with the client’s real personality. That’s how you keep it credible.”
Crisis management, he says, is a different ballgame altogether in the age of instant outrage. “You have minutes. Every detail matters — the tone, the context, the timing,” he explains. “The right strategy can stop a crisis from escalating. Precision is key.”
He also addresses the biggest misconception about PR professionals: “People think we’re always partying,” he laughs. “But events are work. We’re not there to have fun — we’re there to get things done.”
Handling talent across television, film, lifestyle and digital media keeps him creatively challenged. “Every industry has
different needs,” he says. “Every client comes with a different objective. That’s what makes it exciting.”
Despite the intensity of the job, he remains inspired by the people behind the personas. “Understanding their lives inside out, shaping their identity like clay — that keeps me motivated,” he says. “Each client has a story, and I get to help tell it.”
His advice to young professionals entering celebrity PR is refreshingly grounded: “Remember, PR is a 24x7 job. Don’t get carried away by the glamour. All that glitters is not gold — the real work happens behind the scenes, and it’s far tougher than it looks.”
If he hadn’t found himself in PR, he imagines he would have pursued creative work elsewhere. “Probably copywriting,” he smiles. “Or something in marketing.”
After nearly two decades shaping headlines and guiding careers, his definition of good publicity remains simple. “Good publicity is genuine visibility,” he says. “It’s when people remember the person, not just the noise around them. That’s real impact.”
"That little spark of joy I felt while performing made me realise how much I love expressing emotions"
" Being an actress gives me a purpose and a sense of connection with people, stories, and life itself"
