Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga started working at 16: ‘I sold cheese, was DJ’

Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga took home the Oscar for The Elephant Whisperers in the Documentary Short category.

Guneet Monga’s first ‘thank you’ after her Oscar win went to her parents, whom she lost within six months of each other. In an interview with Humans of Bombay, published today, Monga had spoken about the pain of losing her parents and how she found solace in work.

The Elephant Whisperers, which won the top honours in the Documentary Short category at the 95th Academy Awards, was produced by Guneet Monga's Sikhya Entertainment Production.

In her Humans of Bombay interview, Monga opened up about her tough childhood and how she went from doing odd jobs to becoming an Oscar-winning producer. Born to a middle-class Punjabi family in Delhi, Monga’s childhood looked ordinary to outsiders.

However, a family dispute meant that she and her parents were allotted a single room in the family home, and arguments were common. “Because of the fight between brothers over property- my mom was suppressed. They abused her... Once, the argument got to a point where they tried to burn her alive-my father called the police, grabbed us & ran out of there,” she recalled.

After that, Monga and her parents built their life anew. Her mother dreamt of owning her own home someday.

Guneet Monga started doing odd jobs at 16 to contribute to the family income. She was determined to buy the house her mother wanted.

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Unfortunately, both her parents died within six months of each other. Monga’s mother lost her life to throat cancer, while her father experienced kidney failure.

“I was heartbroken. Needing a change, I packed my bags, sold the house & moved to Bombay for work. I channelled my energy into films,” Monga said. She worked non-stop, sleeping barely four hours a night and spending her time on challenges like crowd-funding and international sales.

Monga loved every minute of it, but even in her happiest moments, she wanted her parents by her side.

“I wanted to hear my mom’s ‘you did well’ or my dad’s ‘proud of you’” she said. “But I know they’re at peace where they are. Someday I’ll see them again & get my ‘well dones.’ But for now, I’m going through life, collecting happy moments for them.”