Ekta Kapoor, 

Kapoor has never taken ‘no’ for an answer. She started Balaji Telefilms in 1994 and the first two serials she produced were rejected by satellite operators. But she persevered, and is today considered the queen of soaps having produced about 75 independent TV serials telecast via 10 satellite operators in seven languages across Asia. She plans to launch at least four movies next year, which, she hopes, will boost her topline by about 40%. The company made its first crore in the late 1990s and, in 2010, crossed Rs 150 crore. Her run has continued this year too. Her latest TV serial— Bade Achhe Laggte Hai—launched in June has helped push Sony TV up from No. 4 to No. 2 on the ratings chart. “Balaji has diversified into regional content, Internet content, movies, mobile content, and even a media education training centre in Mumbai,” says Kapoor, adding that three more such centres are on the anvil.