Multiplex owner, Shravan Shroff might get into film production

Shravan Shroff and Shunali got married 11 years ago and haven’t looked back since. “Of course there are ups and downs in any relationship but the important thing is that we’re the same people at the core level of values,” says Shunali who admits she’s emotional and absent minded whereas Shravan is practical and meticulous. “There used to be plenty of misunderstandings as a result of this in the beginning, but the life philosophy of Buddhism has helped tremendously in stabilising our marriage,” she adds.

Shravan is credited with setting up Fame Adlabs and dozens of premium multiplexes throughout the country — all part of the Fame India conglomerate with an aggregate value of more than Rs300 crore. However, right now Shravan is considering other options such as taking six months off to learn scuba diving in the Andamans and doing a one-year course in finance at the London Business School. “At the moment though I'm waiting for the takeover issues with the company to be resolved,” Shravan says candidly. This means he is spending more time with his daughters Zara (7) and Rania (2). “I took Rania for a bus ride for the first time in her life recently and we sat on the front seat in the top deck with the wind in our faces, just like tourists,” he says.

Shunali adds, smiling, “When she returned home she said she loved the ride but they hadn’t served any food on board the bus.”
“Watching our kids grow up is one of the greatest pleasures we’re experiencing right now and Shravan’s rediscovering his daughters,” says Shunali. When the family wants to relax on weekends they go off together to the poolside of a suburban five star hotel where Shravan does a gym workout and Shunali and the kids swim.

Speaking about his business ventures, he says, “It’s possible that once the takeover is accomplished successfully I could be working for the new company. I am also considering film production and setting up of a film fund with friends.”

With Shravan’s little sabbatical from work, the family is getting to know one another in a new light. “The best thing is that we can now take holidays together. Yet our greatest joy comes not from going outside but from our interactions within the four walls of our home. After my difficult pregnancy with Rania and the issues that came with introducing her to an older sibling like Zara, things have settled down and Zara is blossoming once again. Our lives now revolve around the kid’s schools and their activities,” says Shunali.

As far as husband and wife are concerned, Shravan feels it’s Shunali’s liveliness that keeps the relationship ticking while Shunali feels that after all these years they’ve reached some level of understanding and amicability. “He’s very patient. He’s accepted my shortcomings and I’ve accepted his and in that my spiritual practise has helped immensely. Thanks to that our marriage is no longer just about me but it’s also been a genuine attempt to understand his needs,” says Shunali.

Yet what’s most important for Shravan is inculcating and passing on the core values his parents instilled in him as a child to his children. “It’s vital Zara and Rania grow up realising how fortunate they are and to never take money for granted. They should understand that there are people in this world who receive far less than they have. It’s important that they understand this because once real values are set, then they can handle any problem that life throws at them,” concludes Shravan.