Monisha Singh Katial is an ever-present name in Indian television industry. From anchoring shows in early days of Doordarshan, being part of the ground-breaking telefilms, to playing key role in India's first kids' daily soap "Shaka Laka Boom Boom", her contribution to the Indian television industry has been outstanding. 

During her remarkable career, that saw her serving some of the biggest players in Indian television space, she played a key role in the formation of India's first home-grown kid's channel Hungama .So, when the popular event booking app BookMyShow entered into video content production, it was no surprise that they chose Monisha Singh Katial to head their content strategy. 

We got a rare opportunity to gain valuable insight into how Monisha keeps pushing the envelope in the Indian digital media space in search of new horizons, and this is how she works: 

Location : Mumbai 
Current Gig : VP - Content and Strategy, BookMyShow 
Current Phone and Computer: Apple all the way... 
One word that best describes how you work: High Octane 

Tell us about your journey and how did you get where you have? 

I strongly believe that destiny is what we make off the opportunities that life throws our way. From being an anchor to calling the shots behind the camera, then to creating and planning content, it has been a highly rewarding and a super fun journey for me. 

I come from a bureaucratic family in Chandigarh which meant that I inherited qualities such as discipline, leadership skills and ability to think strategically. I was exposed to creativity right from the moment I was born and I was heavily engaged in dancing, reading, and theatre all throughout my childhood. Being the daughter of a Cop, I learned from him observation skills that helped me enormously throughout my career. 

After my schooling in Chandigarh, I came to Mumbai for graduation and post-graduation, where I got the opportunity to anchor shows for Doordarshan. This was my first exposure to the world of media and entertainment. 

My first job was with Balaji Telefilms, a show called Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, which changed Indian Television forever. I then went on to creatively handle almost all the K-soaps produced at that time, before moving on to UTV (now part of Disney) where I creatively handled their first kids' daily soap Shaka Laka Boom Boom. I was then fortunate to be a part of the launch of India's first home-grown kid's channel Hungama. 

During my stint at Times, I headed programming at Zoom and was exposed to the whole new world of Digital and this is where the natural transition from TV to digital happened for me. At BookMyShow, I have been spearheading BookMyShow's content strategy, and together with my team, I have developed a multi-platform approach targeting different sections of the society and offering them entertainment options like never before. 

What is the current project you are involved in? 

With a view to keeping up with changing and evolving entertainment consumption trends, BookMyShow forayed into video content production late last year with the launch of its YouTube channels - BookMyStyle and BookMyTV. We recently also started our third channel MyHungerPangs, and all three cater to entertainment needs of different genres and target audiences. All of them have been consistently growing. 

What are the apps, software and other tools (physical or digital) you can't live without? 

My phone, for I constantly need to be in touch with office and home. Other things include books (love to read), Netflix and YouTube. 

What's your workspace setup like? 

My workspace is my creative zone, full of vibrant colors that keep us all energized. At BookMyShow, we strictly believe in an open door policy and my workplace is no different. 

What's your best time-shortcut or life-hack? 

There are no short cuts and if your passion is your profession it will never feel like work. 

How do you manage your to-dos, tasks, and schedule? 

Every woman plays multiple roles of being a boss, colleague, wife, daughter in law, daughter and above all a mom. If she wants to achieve a lot she needs to pack in a lot, and therefore, it's imperative she masters the art of time management. For me, it's extremely important and I prioritize work at hand, my day is packed and timed. Each minute is precious and sticking to the schedule is key. 

How do you relax or recharge? 

My twins are my biggest stress buster. Tucking them into bed every night is something I cherish. Dancing is also a recharge, and so is solving jigsaw puzzles, and spending time at a salon. 

What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else? What's your secret? 

Managing People, be it at work or home. I am able to relate to most people and my constant endeavor is to have high energy around me. It helps me and others around me to be more productive and happier. 

What are you currently reading? 

'Behind the Bars' by Sunetra Choudhury, Sudha Menon's 'Devi, Diva or She-Devil', and Shashi Tharoor's 'An Era of Darkness'. 

What's your morning and sleep routine like? 

My mornings start with spending the first ten minutes with myself, sitting on my deck, soaking in the first rays of the sun till loud squeals of the twins disrupt my thoughts and brings me back to the reality of quickly packing them off to school. It's then time to kick start the day with fenugreek seed water, a handful of berries and some Pilates. My sleep routine is Netflix with a piece of dark chocolate followed by reading while sipping infused chamomile tea and thanking the universe for another lovely day. 

What is the biggest lesson life has taught you so far? 

Never forget the people who stood by you when you were down and out. 

What's the best advice you've ever received? 

Think big if you want to achieve big. 

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