Jyoti Deshpande

Jyoti Deshpande’s name pretty much echoes through every boardroom in Indian media. She’s been at it for over thirty years, and honestly, if there’s a big move happening in the industry, she’s probably behind it. At Reliance Industries, as President of the Media & Content Business, she’s the brains behind Jio Studios blowing up into this absolute content machine. Just last year? They dropped over a hundred stories—films, web series, you name it. That’s wild. Before this, she ran the show at Viacom18, making her the first (and let’s be real, still the only) woman to boss around one of the Big 4 media companies in India. Her list of projects is… let’s just say, not short. Stree, Luka Chuppi, Baipan Bhari Deva, Bhediya, Bloody Daddy, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, Teri Baaton Mein Uljha Jiya, Article 370, Laapataa Ladies, Shaitaan, Laal Singh Chaddha, OMG2, Jhimma2, Inspector Avinash, Do Gubbare—the hits just keep coming. And she’s not slowing down either. Upcoming titles like Baby John, Singham 3, Sky Force, Stree 2, Aaipan Bhari Deva, Raja Shivaji, Kotee, Thangalaan are already getting hype. She also chaired the Media & Entertainment Committee at FICCI, just casually shaping industry policy. Fortune India and Business Today keep putting her on their Most Powerful Women lists, so you know she’s making waves. Oh, and BAFTA and IEMMY memberships? Just some more icing on that already stacked cake.