Manoj Punjabi

Manoj Punjabi, born December 7th, 1972, is basically the powerhouse behind MD Pictures—Indonesia’s media giant and, yeah, the only one strutting its stuff on the Jakarta Stock Exchange. He’s not just another guy in a suit; Manoj’s been obsessed with movies since he was a kid. He saw film as more than entertainment—he saw this wild potential to actually shape lives. That spark? It’s what keeps him hungry for the next big thing in Indonesian cinema. By now, people just call him the “King of Soap Operas & Movies” and, let’s be real, that’s not an exaggeration. MD Pictures, under his grip, exploded as Indonesia’s top film studio. They’re the brains behind massive hits like “Ayat-Ayat Cinta” and “Habibie & Ainun”—both smashed audience records (think 4.7 million viewers, no joke). Manoj even flipped the script on horror with “Danur: I Can See Ghosts,” launching a whole universe of spooky films. The company’s all about pushing boundaries, whether that’s killer new tech or fresh collabs. When the pandemic hit and everyone glued themselves to online streaming, MD jumped right in, teaming up with giants like Netflix, Disney+Hotstar, and more to serve up their films to a whole new crowd. Manoj isn’t just making movies; he’s building a whole ecosystem—supporting writers, directors, actors, the whole crew—because, in his words, cinema’s gotta think big and adapt, no matter what the world throws at it.