Alok Jain grew up in a small town in western Uttar Pradesh. Hindi-medium school. Engineering degree from IIT Delhi in 2000. MBA from the Indian School of Business. Then consulting, then cement, then automotive, then telecom, then turbine manufacturing, then mining and then sanitaryware. Then, after 15 to 16 years, he chose media.
His message to students who feel lost about career direction: there are some people who know what they want to do when they are kids. Most of us do not know, and that is okay. Life is a journey where we find out things as we go along. He chose media because it combined what he liked: figuring out consumer behaviour, working with numbers, and taking chances. When he started in the media, he did not even know what a director did or what a screenplay writer did. If you’re interested in PR & media relations, enrol into Parul University’s Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication Program!
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The Numbers: JioStar vs Netflix
A student asked how JioStar compares to global platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. The numbers surprised the room. Netflix has less than 2 crore viewers in India. JioStar has between 20 to 40 crore viewers. That is 20 times more people. While urban audiences talk about global platforms, JioStar’s goal is different: to reach into the country and be the platform for everyone, not just affluent urban viewers. Since JioStar was started in India, they understand the country and its people better.
Why AI Cannot Invent the Theory of Relativity
A student asked about balancing data with creativity. Aalok Jain referenced – Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman and then posed a question: if AI existed in 1905 and had all the information in the world, could it have come up with Einstein’s Theory of Relativity? Every student agreed: no.
“AI only works with the information it already has. To create something truly new, to push boundaries and invent the future, you need human intuition, gut feeling, and out-of-the-box thinking.”
You cannot rely 100 percent on data. If one romantic movie becomes a hit, data will tell you to make 10 more romantic movies. True innovation is making something the audience has never seen before. The success rate of any show or movie is 10 to 15 percent. Out of 400 movies made in a year, people remember only 10 or 20. A movie is years of work by hundreds of people, but the consumer decides if it is good in a few minutes. If you’re passionate about how data works in real life and how you can make smarter decisions with it, enrol into Parul University’s BBA in Data Analytics Program.
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Understanding Bharat: Why India Is Not One Market
Aalok Jain taught that India must never be treated as one homogeneous audience. What works in one state might completely fail in another. Gujarat is different from South India. Rajasthan is different from eastern Uttar Pradesh. Even within Uttar Pradesh, the west is fundamentally different from the east. In media, you must approach every market with an open mind, start from zero, and learn the local culture, food habits, and language nuances. And to leverage AI, one must play with human intuitiveness as well, you too can by enrolling into B.Tech in AI & ML of Parul University!
“The greatest tool a leader can have is the courage to say, I do not know.”
Media creates a deep emotional connection unlike any consumer product. When people watch a movie or show, their emotions get activated. They think about characters. They discuss the story with friends. The content stays in their minds. This emotional power means creators have to understand how their audience is feeling.
On Money, Social Responsibility, and Career Vision
When asked about balancing business with social responsibility, Jain’s response was pointed:
“The more you try to get money, the more it slips away from you, like trying to hold sand and water in your hand. The tighter you hold on, the more it slips away.”
Instead: are we helping society? Are we making our country an open and fair place? If you create things that help people and make their lives better, money will come naturally as a bonus. On career building, he told students to have a clear vision, comparing it to deciding to buy a car: once you decide, you start seeing that car everywhere. Those cars were always there. Now you notice them because you are looking. The world wants to help people who know where they are going.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many viewers does JioStar have compared to Netflix?
JioStar has between 20 to 40 crore viewers in India. Netflix has less than 2 crore. JioStar reaches 20 times more people. President Alok Jain said their goal is to be the platform for everyone, not just affluent urban viewers.
Can AI replace creativity in media?
According to Alok Jain: no. AI only works with existing information. If AI existed in 1905 with all the world's data, it could not have invented Einstein's Theory of Relativity. True innovation requires human intuition, gut feeling, and out-of-the-box thinking. Data tells you to repeat what worked. Innovation means creating what the audience has never seen.
