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Two Indian Americans in Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power 100
They have been recognized for their achievements in setting box office records.
Mindy Kaling and Bela Bajaria have earned spots on The Hollywood Reporter's '2023 Women in Entertainment Power 100' list. / Twitter @mindykaling, LinkedIn @BelaBajaria
Indian Americans Bela Bajaria and Mindy Kaling have earned spots on The Hollywood Reporter's '2023 Women in Entertainment Power 100' list. They are recognized for their achievements in setting box office records, drawing large audiences, and contributing to the resurgence of Hollywood.
The two Indian-Americans, alongside numerous other influential women executives, performers, and industry powerhouses, have been recognized as "women who over-delivered in 2023, setting the standard for success in the shifting cultural marketplace."
Netflix's chief content officer, Bajaria joined the streaming platform in 2016. In the role, she takes charge of the Netflix’s television and film content. Under her leadership, the platform has seen the success of popular shows such as 'Bridgerton,' 'The Queen’s Gambit,' 'Lupin,' and 'Cobra Kai.' Currently, Bajaria oversees a substantial $17 billion annual content budget and manages teams across 27 countries in her capacity.
In the last year, Bajaria has been instrumental in delivering some of Netflix's most popular titles to its 238 million members. Notably, 'The Night Agent' and 'Wednesday' achieved remarkable success, with the latter becoming the streaming service's most-watched English-language original and significantly contributing to Netflix's three Emmy nominations.
Bajaria's achievements extend beyond Netflix, as evidenced by her recognition on Forbes' list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World for 2023, where she secured the 67th spot alongside influential figures like US Vice President Kamala Harris and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Born in London and raised in Britain and Zambia, Bajaria relocated to Los Angeles at the age of 8. Before her tenure at Netflix, she served as the president of Universal Television, making history as the first woman of color to lead a studio. In 2022, Bajaria achieved further recognition by being included in TIME's prestigious list of the 100 Most Influential People.
Actor-produced, Mindy Kaling began her professional journey as an intern on "Late Night with Conan O’Brien" before transitioning to roles involving writing and performing in various sketch comedy shows, including "Matt and Ben."
Her breakthrough came in 2004 when she joined the acclaimed television series 'The Office' as a writer and performer. Subsequently, Kaling ventured into creating and starring in her own show, 'The Mindy Project,' which debuted in 2012.
Kaling remains actively involved in writing and producing for 'Secret Lives of College Girls.' Additionally, she is expanding her creative endeavors through a deal with Amazon MGM Studios, focusing on titles featured in Mindy’s Book Studio book club, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Kaling recently lent her voice to Velma in Max's animated Scooby-Doo series, which, despite controversy, was renewed for another season. She also maintains a presence on 'The Morning Show.' Notably, earlier this year, President Joe Biden bestowed upon her the esteemed National Medal of Arts, a prestigious recognition among the highest awards presented to artists and arts patrons by the U.S. government.
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