Priya Jethani, the name speaks exuberance and dynamism through well recognized work. In a short time span, Priya has made her mark on televisions across the Emirates – centered in Dubai, creating waves across UAE and beyond. She has been working as a TV presenter with ZEE TV since 2016. She is also an accomplished actor, model, and an entrepreneur working with passion for her own range of delectable fragrances. Having an enviable educational background through her master’s degree in marketing research, she sure has many feathers in her hat at only 33 years of age.
For someone with a strong fan following in India, Priya is through and through a Dubai girl. Her parents settled in Dubai when she was a little two-month-old baby. However, she has maintained a strong connection to her Indian roots. Since childhood, her vacations were spent delightfully in her paternal and maternal homes in Ajmer, Rajasthan and Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in India.
Priya describes her family as her rock and her inspiration. Her mother, particularly, has always been a driving force in her life. When it came to choosing a career path to build on Priya’s dreams, her parents made every effort to support their daughter along the way. She also shares a special bond with her brother, who she cherishes as a pillar in her times of professional and personal hardships.
Dreaming high with feet on ground
Priya has always been someone who would never put all her eggs in one basket. Therefore, even though she had a keen interest in the glittery world of spotlight, she hedged her bets by pursuing a professional graduate degree in Commerce, specializing in Marketing. And up until 2016, she was completely consumed by the ambition of career progression that she had almost forgotten her love for spotlight.
Dawn of new life
Things began to stir-up starting February 2016, when she committed to a few modelling assignments and signed herself up for a beauty pageant. These pivotal moments served as her launchpad into the world of professional modelling and made her believe in herself – enough to quit her established career, for dreams she had once let go of. Soon enough, her face started to appear in the advertisements of truly household brand names such as Zulekha Hospital, Pan Emirates, Western Union, Danube Home, Carrefour – to name just a few.
However, her debut in broadcasting world was nothing short of serendipity. In April 2016, she came across ZEE TV ME advertisement. They were looking for a fresh face to host a lifestyle show, ZEE Connect. As life unfolded, she was soon hired to be the presenter for the 6th season of the show. And as they say, the rest is history. Priya has been working with ZEE for almost five years now. Most recently, she hosted the 11th season of the same show.
Dreams don’t expire
Priya has always maintained how important of chasing one’s dreams would be. Her philosophy is – “Now” is the best time to start working towards your goals. A year from now you will hear yourself and say that I should have started sooner. She passionately believes that anyone can achieve their dreams or goals if they work consistently towards it.
“Your dreams don’t have an expiration date, so even if you think it may be late to get into a
the game, take a chance on yourself.”
For people looking for opportunities, Priya believes that Dubai and UAE present significant opportunities. She says that one might get surprised at the number of opportunities you might find. Based on her own experiences, she believes that the Emirates are a safe and thriving space to work.
Joys of pursuing your passion
Priya speaks candidly about her experiences in the field of media. So far, one of the most memorable moments for Priya was when Shahrukh Khan visited for the promotion of his movie, “Raees.” Priya defines it as a “fan moment.” She was visibly thrilled and nervous at the same time. The adrenaline rush of meeting new people and celebrities never fades. Priya says that it’s just not about the passion, but the real satisfaction comes when people genuinely appreciate your hard work. It means a lot to Priya when her viewers are satisfied seeing her performances. Criticism and appreciation matter more as her job entails an implicit demand – put your best front as it is the only option, every single time.
Pocket full of opportunities
Though being in a coveted place in her career at the moment, Priya believes that one should keep progressing towards better goals and new challenges – onwards and upwards. She also believes in preparing for the future, without losing sight of the present. Towards this endeavour, she plans to venture into production, once her love for the spotlight fades – although that does not look imminent anytime soon fortunately.
