Guneet Monga facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Guneet Monga
Monga in 2018
Born	(1983-11-21) 21 November 1983 (age 41) New Delhi, India
Alma mater	Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
Occupation	Film producer, CEO of Sikhya Entertainment

Guneet Monga (born 21 November 1983) is a talented film producer from India. She is well-known for producing The Elephant Whisperers, a documentary short film that won an Academy Award in 2023. Guneet also started her own film production company called Sikhya Entertainment. This company has made many popular films. Some of these include Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1, The Lunchbox, Masaan, and Pagglait.

In 2018, Guneet Monga became one of the first producers from India to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the group that gives out the Academy Awards. She also worked as an executive producer for Period. End of Sentence.. This film won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film in 2019. The Hollywood Reporter magazine named Guneet as one of the top 12 women in the global entertainment industry. India Today also listed her among the top 50 Indians who are changing India. In 2023, Guneet won her second Academy Award for The Elephant Whisperers.

In 2021, the French Government honored Guneet Monga with a special award called the Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. This award recognizes her important contributions to arts and literature.

Early Life and Education

Guneet Monga was born in Delhi, India. She went to Bluebells School International for her early schooling. Later, she studied mass communications at the Madhubala Institute of Mass Communication and Electronic Media. She finished her degree in 2004. This institute is connected with Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University in Delhi.

Career in Film Production

Guneet Monga started her career in 2003 by interning with a production coordinator in Delhi. After getting her degree, she began working as a production coordinator for international films. One of her notable early works was for Vic Sarin's film Partition.

Guneet was inspired to work in films after seeing a friend of her mother's, Anureeta Saigal, working on international productions. She learned a lot from Saigal and decided that making movies was what she wanted to do. She even convinced a neighbor to lend her money to start making films.

In 2006, Guneet moved to Mumbai, which is a big city for films in India. She started working on a cricket film called Say Salaam India (2007). After that, she worked on films like Rang Rasiya (2008) and Dasvidaniya (2008). In 2009, while working on Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010), she met director and producer Anurag Kashyap. She then joined his film company, Anurag Kashyap Films.

Major Film Projects

Guneet Monga's first big international film was Kavi (2009). This short film was about bonded labor in India and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2010. It also won a Student Academy Award in 2009. In 2008, Guneet started her own production company, Sikhya Entertainment. She also started a company that helps with the practical side of film production.

With Anurag Kashyap, she worked on popular films like Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1 and Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2 (both 2012). She also helped produce That Girl in Yellow Boots (2011), Trishna (2011), and Shaitan (2011). Guneet even raised money for the film Peddlers (2012) by sharing the script on Facebook. Peddlers was shown at a famous film festival called Critics' Week and helped open new doors for Indian cinema.

She also produced Monsoon Shootout, which was a film made with teams from India, the Netherlands, and the UK. Another important film she produced was The Lunchbox. This film was a joint project between India, France, Germany, and the USA.

In May 2013, both The Lunchbox and Monsoon Shootout were chosen to be shown at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. The Hollywood Reporter called her one of the "most prolific producers of a new wave of cinema." They also listed her among "12 international players to watch." India Today magazine praised her for helping independent Indian films reach a wider audience around the world.

Filmography

As an actress

• Love, Wrinkle-free (2012)