[100 Emerging Women Leaders] How Anushka Shah is pioneering civic impact through conscious entertainment

Anushka Shah grew up in Bombay (now Mumbai) where her childhood was closely influenced by Indian cinema, which she saw as “a reflection of the zeitgeist of the time.”

This dynamic cultural backdrop profoundly influenced her perspective on storytelling, offering a lens into understanding the complexities of a diverse nation. 

“Cinema, for me, was a way to see the changing face of India. It showcased the aspirations and struggles of different eras—from the ‘angry young man’ of the 70s to today’s hard-hitting narratives of social issues,” Shah tells Her Story.

However, despite her early fascination with cinema, Shah’s ambitions were rooted in politics, which led her to pursue an undergraduate degree in government and economics at the London School of Economics.

“I was always inspired by the possibilities of bridging economic progress with social equity,” she says. 

“Growing up in the 90s, I witnessed the duality of India—the booming middle class juxtaposed with stark poverty. These gaps made me feel like, if politics is the problem, it could also be the solution. So, from a young age, it became an interest for me.”

A deep dive into grassroots activism

Shah’s commitment to understanding India’s socio-political landscape took her to diverse settings—from the slums of Mumbai to rural Maharashtra and even a prison, as a legal aid worker. 

After working with nonprofit organisations and serving as a legal intern at the Supreme Court, she joined the Aam Aadmi Party’s political campaigns during its 2014 Maharashtra operations. 

However, Shah soon realised that politics was a real test of fire. She saw that while the potential for impact in politics was immense, it was also volatile and often ideologically charged. This led her to explore a different route to drive civic engagement.

A vision for civic education and media

Post-2014, Shah gravitated towards civic education, a shift that was rooted in her belief that empowered citizens could transcend political ideologies. Her fascination with mass media’s ability to catalyse change steered her toward research roles, including a stint at MIT’s Media Lab. 

Here, she combined applied statistics with media studies to explore the power of storytelling in shaping public opinion. Her interests in media, activism, and social impact found a convergence when Civic Studios was incubated at MIT Media Lab.

In 2019, Shah officially launched the company in Mumbai as a for-profit venture with a mission to entertain and inform. In 2023, it opened in London.

“We wanted to create self-sustaining narratives that moved beyond episodic reporting to thematic storytelling,” she says. 

She was clear that Civic Studios would operate with a double-bottom-line approach, prioritising both financial viability and social impact.

The company began with a YouTube channel named ‘Pocket Change’, which explored social themes through sketch comedy. 

A year later, the pandemic forced the studio to pivot and focus on long-form content such as films and series. This was a learning curve for Shah and her team, which had to downsize from the initial 45 to 25 members.

Over the last five years, Civic Studios has curated a diverse slate of projects, including Vakeel Babu (on gender justice) on Amazon miniTV, Family Aaj Kal (on class bias) on SonyLIV, and the animated Indo-French-German feature Schirkoa, which examines political polarisation.

Its work spans themes such as unemployment, domestic violence, and refugee struggles, with collaborations involving well-known directors such as Gurinder Chadha and Anurag Kashyap.

Acknowledging the challenges of navigating India’s celebrity-driven entertainment industry, Shah says, “OTT platforms are increasingly cautious, gravitating toward ‘safe bets’ like star-driven projects.” 

To mitigate this, Civic Studios has diversified its revenue streams by engaging in international co-productions and accessing grant funding from organisations like the Gates Foundation. The studio also fosters partnerships with NGOs to bring nuanced social issues into the spotlight.

Navigating the industry as a woman

As a woman founder in a predominantly male industry, Shah has faced unique challenges but she also sees her position as an opportunity. 

Civic Studios, led by a team comprising 70% women, is a demonstration of her commitment to fostering equitable workplaces. 

“We’ve created an environment where gender consciousness informs both our content and operations.”

Shah underscores the importance of addressing gender bias in the entertainment industry by emphasising on inclusivity and safety in all project sets and strict adherence to POSH guidelines.

She says women entering the field must equip themselves with knowledge about the spaces they are working in and ensure that safeguards are in place. 

“Women leaders have a responsibility to pave the way for safer and more inclusive creative environments,” she adds. 

With an expanding portfolio and an international footprint, Shah’s vision for Civic Studios is to redefine entertainment as a platform for change. 

“Media’s true potential lies in its ability to bridge awareness, empathy, and action. That’s the future we’re building,” she says.

(The copy was updated with corrections.)