As human beings, we all have our journeys, but some of them are truly exceptional. Especially in the Entertainment industry with fierce competition taking a firm footing is actually a big deal. But having a great passion along with a vision is the mantra achievers follow. One such person is Alpaa Turakhia the co-owner of Communique PR along with Sharlene Batlivala. The two have been juggling between lifestyle and entertainment PR, doing a great job every day.
And they have taken the company only to greater heights. Today, they handle clients like Gurmeet Choudhary, Debina Bonnerjee, Ayush Mehra, Aditya Seal, Bhushan Kumar, Bobby Deol, Amyra Dastur, Iulia Vantur, and many more. Soaking up the magic at work in every moment is what Alpaa lives by and recently when I got into a conversation with her, it was a heartwarming journey that she had to share.
Read the interview here:
Tell me about your very first encounter with the PR industry?
I would have to call it destiny. Sharlene and I met through a common friend and we clicked at the very first meeting. The connect was just instant and here we are 15 years later talking about our journey. In an industry that likes to put women against each other I can say with a lot of pride that we work together as a team. Our strength lies in the relationships we have forged over the years and there is one common trait between us which is our vision for Communiqué. We will always have each other’s back!
What was it about this industry that you like the most?
You know it’s hard to put into words, but I think the thrill and excitement of watching a creative idea at a pitch or a meeting take form and come into existence is what gives me the most joy! PR is tough if you think of it as a business model, but when you look at it from heart and passion and excitement of sharing a client’s vision and watch it come to fruition, it’s just magic.
When you decided to spearhead Communiqué, what was the plan? And did it unfold just like you wanted it to?
I think the plan was simple. Sharlene and I wanted to do as much work as possible. We started with lifestyle and there were many lessons we learnt early on that paved our path for the future. I believe in the larger and bigger plan of the universe. Often ‘surrender’ is my go to word and I think after the team and you put in all the hard work you let the Universe add in some magic and make your vision come true. So yes I don’t think we would have done anything differently and everything has unfolded just like it should.
So far, what’s been the most cherished memory from your journey?
There are so many! Just like our very first campaign, our first pitch for our first Bollywood movie Entertainment, there are many memories to choose from. Seeing our clients on international magazines and front pages of daily newspapers and websites would be some of my favourite memories! These are moments that make everything worth it!
When Communiqué had started did you ever imagine that today it would manage some huge talents from showbiz?
I would be lying if I said no! I think although Sharlene and I are extremely humble in our work ethic we are also equally ambitious. So, yes as two women starting out and getting one foot in the door we definitely wanted to work with the big names and A-list celebs. I truly believe if you can see it you can bring it into existence and I think that’s what we did and continue to do.
Who has been that one client you have absolutely loved being associated with?
I would say the RPG art camp by Goenka in the lifestyle space and for movies it will be Akshay Kumar’s Entertainment. The trailer launch for the film was so unique and special and those memories will always have a special place in my heart. We got Maneka Gandhi to fly down to Mumbai for the trailer launch and given how much she loves animals it was a delight to see her support this beautiful film about a dog.
What is that one misconception about the industry that you would like to burst?
That it never gets easy, you just get better! I think that’s one big misconception I would love to burst 🙂
Only reading this journey has inspired me, so I can only imagine what it would have been living it.
Source: MissMalini
