Celebrity lawyer Priyanka Khimani’s journey from Mumbai chawl to Nariman Point office

Priyanka Khimani says her never-give-up attitude helped her rise from humble beginnings. Growing up in a chawl in Mumbai, Khimani credits her early lack of privilege for paving the way to her success. Today, she is one of the top entertainment lawyers in the country, having represented the likes of Anurag Kashyap and Badshah.

But the journey from a small chawl in Mahim to a glitzy office in Nariman Point has not been easy for Priyanka Khimani, the powerhouse behind Khimani & Associates. In an interview with Humans of Bombay, she opened up about her early life and career trajectory.

“Growing up in a chawl, I couldn’t dream big. Mom and Dad fought constantly due to lack of money,” she told Humans of Bombay. Although she discovered her love for writing at 15, Khimani’s mother wanted her to study science. “So I went from topping in school to barely getting by in college,” she said.

“One day, we had a writing workshop in our college. That one session opened doors to the world of entertainment,” Khimani recalled. Her mentor Kiran helped her write several shows, but the death of Khimani’s father put the family in further financial difficulties.

Through college, she took up every TV writing gig she got to support her family of four women. “But after graduation, I had to make a decision. I joined law and I’d study while on set, writing,” said Khimani.