Author and new age leader Deepak Chopra has signed on to present India-based executive and Balaji Telefilms co-founder Ektaa R. Kapoor with the International Emmy 2023 Directorate Award. The honor will be given on Monday, Nov. 20, at the 51st International Emmys in New York.
“Ektaa Kapoor’simpact on culture has spurred a human revolution, not just an entertainment one,” said Chopra, whose next book, “Quantum Body,” is released on Dec. 5. “I’m so pleased to see her contributions being celebrated and deeply honored to be presenting this award to her.”
“I think I came in at a time when India was changing and developing, where women were finding their voice,” Kapoor said. “She was finding her grit and tenacity again, finding her footing again, and so were the women. The content we created slowly pushed the mindset for women to really take a big step forward. I think an industry or a business actually stemmed out of this need that no one addressed.
Kapoor launched Balaji in 1994 with her parents, Indian film star/producer Jeetendra Kapoor and media exec Shobha Kapoor. She has been recognized as the only woman from India’s TV industry in the PvNew500 power list, and has been behind more than 17,000 hours of TV, 45 films and one of India’s first over-the-top platforms, Alt Balaji.
“I try to tell stories about people who haven’t been heard with a layer of empathy,” she added. “When one story is told — be it a one-sided love story or a woman whom people think is leading a mundane life —there lies somebody who feels something and is connected to it because they say, ‘That is my story. Finally somebody sees me.'”
With Chopra presenting her the award, Kapoor said she felt a kinship with the iconic figure. “Starting my career at age 17, I realized that while you have physical success, there is also mental success, which comes with understanding and accepting life,” she said.“When the two meet, you truly feel successful or are successful. Deepak Chopra does the same with health. His books speak about mental, physical and spiritual health.
“I am excited to have an award presented to me by such a visionary and hopefully have him share some thoughts on how I can get myself in better shape. God knows I need it,” she added. “The pressures of daily work and life take away simple joys and of course, Deepak and his books align you and teach you how to keep both sides of life aligned and happy. I am very happy and excited to get an award from someone I truly admire and respect.”
This year’s International Emmys, administered by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, include nominations across 14 categories and nominees spanning 20 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the U.K. See the full list of nominations here.
