Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) [India], August 3: Living in an industry that relies heavily on the networks one has built, being on top of every single minute detail, and having to handle stressful situations, Partho Ghosh has made it far by instilling hard work and self-confidence in himself.
A native of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Partho is presently the Head of Artist Relations at X-Factor Entertainment, Mumbai. Over the course of his 11-year tenure in this role, Partho has worked with some of India’s biggest stars, including Sachin Tendulkar, Shahid Kapoor, Sonu Nigam, Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sukhwinder Singh, Jubin Nautiyal, Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, and many more.
He has also worked on several high-profile live productions across many countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Azerbaijan.
But his pathway into this field has never been a straight line.
Partho underwent the upbringing of being a middle child in a middle-class family. His father is a retired veteran from the electricity department, and his mother is a homemaker. Partho is the eldest of two siblings. Growing up surrounded by his younger brother, Partho was drawn towards sketching, classical music, live shows, and pop culture, amongst others. Though describing his calligraphy as average, his love for the artistic aspects of the profession was one that never left him. Alongside this, he also received three years of music training.
During his academic years, he was in the realm of science and engineering but then realized that his passion lay in commerce and economics. This eventually propelled him towards the field of event production and live entertainment.
A pivotal moment came during his college years when he went to a live concert of Mika Singh in Jabalpur. The sheer scale and glamour, as well as the intricate workings, mesmerized him and made him want to be a part of the live entertainment ecosystem.
It was not an easy task to pursue that dream. Professional artist management was unknown in Jabalpur, and there were financial issues and also doubt within his own family. But he was determined to create a successful brand within the industry, and thus began.
The deeper reason behind his drive was a promise he made to his then-girlfriend that he would establish a successful career, etc., within two years in order to win her family’s approval for their marriage, and that faithful promise guided him on his journey, as he networked and looked for the right platform.
His big break came through a connection with Devang Shah of X-Factor Entertainment. The introduction was not only the start of a new phase in his professional life but would ultimately log him into major artist work and international tours.
For instance, comedian and actor Sunil Grover, who they beam TV fans year after year, is one of those who experienced Partho’s struggles. Before that, years apart, Partho had tried and failed to get a photo with him as a young fan. Shortly after, he was assigned to handle Sunil Grover’s total tours – a stretch evidence of how far his perseverance and hard work had gone.
And as time passed, industry peers, senior artists, and jurists came to regard him as a self-made man – not born with either money or a Bollywood family background.
He also got the chance, beyond his previous drive, to have his own personal scale of success as well as a spouse. He’s married his longtime girlfriend, capping what began as a promise to build a stable and rewarding professional situation for himself.
Far from being just another success story for Partho Ghosh today, it’s evidence that anyone from tier-two and tier-three metro cities can create a value-rich career in India’s entertainment world, even if they arrive without a trusted network or super-secret gateway.
Looking to the future, Partho is guided by gratitude and a spurn of wanting to raise the mold of live entertainment across the globe. That, coupled with his long arc from avid Jabalpur concert-goer to trusted professional entrusted to work with top stars and international productions, is a testament to the power of having a drive for success and staying determined.
