Zarine Manchanda: The Quintessential Young Woman of Substance

The past few decades have seen extraordinary leaps by women in India making their mark in different sectors as empowered women of substance. The spectrum is seen on one side in politics, journalism, media, medicine, law, engineering and other respected professions where women are praised for their brain power, and in the glamour industry’s actresses, models and brand ambassadors on the other, where women are praised for their beauty.

While all such women are to be commended for their contributions to Indian life and society. It is rare when one woman is seen as possessing both brain power and beauty, when she is in the media spotlight both for success in business and as a model or showstopper, or when she can grace the covers or be featured in respected business magazines as CEO and philanthropist and the covers of beauty / glamour magazines.

Meet Zarine Manchanda, the rare gem of a woman who effortlessly excels as a Beauty with Brains. With movie star good looks and strong business DNA, Zarine has catapulted onto the national and global stage as a respected philanthropist, and award-winning entrepreneur engaged in multiple business expansion (even during COVID restrictions and lockdowns). But she has also managed to be a showstopper at a prominent fashion week event in Mumbai as well as a glamorous brand ambassador.

The more one knows about Zarine’s life, her value system and perspectives the easier it is to see how and why she has enjoyed a remarkable ascent in the past year as a national - and now international - media darling.

How did all this come about? It starts with Zarine’s background and pedigree. She was born into a life of privilege and luxury by virtue of being the daughter of a prominent politician and businessman in Himachal Pradesh., near Dharamsala. Says Zarine: “I owe everything to my parents. My father is one of the most respected people in all of HP and he provided our family luxurious lifestyle. My other raised me with strong principles and ethical values.”

Zarine enjoyed this “Princess Life” through her university days and a few years thereafter, but then wanted to move to Mumbai to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. She gave up those luxuries for which she was accustomed and was firmly set on making or breaking it on her own in Mumbai. Yet, for two years, she struggled to make her mark in Bollywood.

As the disappointments piled up, Zarine made a life-changing decision. Zarine explains: “Due to my background, I always saw politics as a career option. To enter into this world, I was advised to be a social worker, to start a Foundation, which I did.” Now, two years later, the Zarine Manchanda Foundation has administered almost 200 charity donation programs, providing food, clothing and other essentials to Mumbai’s poorest and neediest citizens.

The programs begin in the slum cells of Aarey Colony, where Zarine’s foundation is based. She and her team ventured into the slums and even in Aarey’s most remote tribal areas to help the poor. There, hundreds of residents clamored for Zarine each program, giving her “rock star status”. The programs have continued regularly even during COVID (although on a smaller scale due to BMC restrictions).

As the word spread about a gorgeous young woman helping the poor in the most remote and dire slums of Mumbai, the media caught on. Zarine has now been profiled over 20 times in India’s most prestigious magazines and newspapers. She’s even been labeled as a “Princess of the Poor”, poised to be the Mother of Millions for this charity work. Says Zarine, “Of course I’m honoured that respected media outlets give me such flattering titles. My two role models all my life were Princess Diana and Mother Teresa, who became friends in India and whose very different lives were aligned as Champions of the Poorest.” Zarine goes on to say: “I am also grateful to my amazing clients who donate food and other essentials regularly and with such strong commitment to help the poor in these toughest of times.”

With success in her Foundation, Zarine then opened a café bearing her name in Mumbai. The Zarine Manchanda Café is a genuine 7-star experience. The Café brands itself as having “luxurious spiritual charm.” It is easy to see how these elements come together at ZMC. From flooring to ceiling, the posh and elegant décor is complemented by the most exclusive crockery and cutlery. Moreover, the café staff rings showpiece Tibetan Bells from Dharamsala – the home of the Dalai Lama – each time they bring food or beverages to café patrons. This “blessing” is a highlight for the café guests as part of ZMC’s most unique USP.

Now that her café is a new Mumbai hotspot – filed with B-town celebrities and TikTok stars, she is actively looking to expand her brand to other upscale locations in Mumbai, then to expand to other cities in India and then globally. Says Zarine: “I’m pleased to already be recognized as the founder of the 7-star café experience in India. I’m getting requests on LinkedIn and other social media every day, begging me to open new branches of my café everywhere in India and also in many countries. This is all part of my targeted growth vision.”
Zarine also opened an interior design house – Zarine Manchanda Interiors – which designed the 7-star café as well as providing design services to other elegant homes in Mumbai. And in recent weeks, she opened a security company (Zarine Manchanda Security) that provides guards and bouncers to its celebrity or well-heeled clientele.

Explains Zarine: for all my current and future businesses, I try to make ‘luxury’ and ‘spiritual charm’ my primary USP. Both these elements go to the core of who I am as a young woman. I grew up with luxury, and there is an insatiable demand for luxury goods and services in India that I am focusing on.” But she further explains: “the spiritual charm” is also important as I want all my businesses to operate ethically and in a manner that inspires good karmas and benevolent intentions.”

Straddling brains and beauty, Zarine is perfectly at home blazing her trail in politics, philanthropy entrepreneurship – and also in the glamour world of showstopping and being a brand ambassador. She even opened her own production shingle (Zarine Manchanda Productions) - in order to fulfill her dream of being an actress. Zarine laughs when she looks back at the years struggling to “make it” in Bollywood, running from audition to audition. “Now I’ll launch myself though my own production house at a time when my other business successes provided me celebrity status.”

Indeed, Zarine shows again and again she is a rare and uniquely empowered woman of substance, as she rockets to fame, fueled by an irresistible combination of beauty, glamour, luxury and spiritual charm.