The entertainment industry is constantly changing, and nobody knows that like Anjula Acharia. The A-Series Management and Investments founder leads her company with years of experience in the music and film industries, inspired by her goals to uplift women and showcase underrepresented communities. Below, we caught up with Acharia on her career beginnings and accomplishments, how she began working with Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and what’s coming next.
How did you come to found your company, A-Series?
Pure passion fueled the start of A-Series Management and Investments. As the founder of Desi Hits!, I introduced artists like Lady Gaga and 50 Cent amongst many others to South Asia. By orchestrating Lady Gaga’s first trip to India, it showcased to the music industry the potential of their artists to gain a massive following in India. We now see artists like Coldplay and Ed Sheeran enjoying huge audience traction there, both touring and streaming. As a female founder, I recognized the need for more women in leadership positions and invested in female-founded companies, such as ClassPass and Bumble—both of which became unicorns. When it was time to exit Desi Hits!, I knew I wanted to focus on cross-cultural talent collaborations, supporting women in leadership and high-growth companies. My mission was—and still is—to shape culture, which led me to found A-Series Management and Investments, which gives me the vehicle to do that trough talent and companies I invest in.
Anjula Acharia
What initial challenges did you face when founding your own company?
The same challenges I think most entrepreneurs have: find a great team to help scale the proposition. Also, my ideas are mostly against the tide and I’m trying to disrupt industries or the status quo. When I first told people I would help launch Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Hollywood, they laughed at me and told me I was wasting my time trying to break her into Hollywood. However, I’ve always had the ability to understand what resonates with the zeitgeist, and whether it was Priyanka or ClassPass, I trusted my instincts and didn’t listen to the doubters.
Anjula Acharia
One of your greatest success stories is introducing Priyanka Chopra Jonas to the U.S. market. How did you two meet?
It’s a funny story! Years before I was in the entertainment business, I saw Priyanka on my mom’s TV. She was a huge fan of PC’s. I remember having this thought that she would be amazing in Hollywood, but I wasn’t in the business so it was a passing thought. Years later, I am in the music business, and my business partner Jimmy Iovine and I were coming off the success of the hit song “Jai Ho” which was a collaboration we put together with AR Rahman and Pussycat Dolls. I remembered PC and said that I’d love to work with her, he gave me a label and told me to go to India to sign her. We never looked back. Our collaboration really kickstarted the ascension of South Asians in Hollywood and has made a lasting impact.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Anjula Acharia
When do you realize a client’s star is rising or that their success is imminent?
I think it’s about anticipating pop culture and the zieitgeist—what trends are moving forward, and thinking about who can fit in that wave. Or alternatively, who is bucking a trend and getting traction. There are always numbers and data to analyze, but the answers for me are in the constant conversations I have with people of different backgrounds, races, and genders if there’s a consistent theme—that’s worth looking at.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Nick Jonas, Anjula Acharia
What are your greatest motivators as a business owner and champion for diversity?
My motivation comes from following a mission that brings more unity through diversity. I want to help young people—especially those from marginalized backgrounds—avoid the racism I experienced growing up as a South Asian in the UK during the ’80s, a time when there was little representation of us in the mainstream.
Anjula Acharia
Why is diverse South Asian representation so important in entertainment today?
People grew up seeing predominantly black-and-white faces on TV, but we don’t live in a black-and-white world. South Asians are a huge population, and it’s time for society to embrace them as an integral part of pop culture.
Anjula Acharia
You recently attended a humanitarian reception at Buckingham Palace with His Majesty King Charles. What was that experience like?
As a brown girl growing up in the UK, I dealt with a lot of blatant racism. Walking into Buckingham Palace and being invited by His Majesty was a unique moment. England will always be my home. I always say what made Britain “great” for the immigrants was free education and healthcare. That was the greatest gift to those immigrant families that emigrated in search for better opportunities, and it was greatest equalizer. I will always be grateful for that.
Anjula Acharia
What are your goals for your company moving forward into the future?
To continue defying the odds and bringing more representation into the mainstream through strategic partnerships.
Any hints about upcoming projects you’re working on right now?
My next project is going to shake up and disrupt the entertainment industry. The announcement is coming soon.
All images: Courtesy of Anjula Acharia
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