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Weekend Unwind with Chtrbox’s Mrunali Dedhia
Mumbai: With another weekend upon us, it is time to unwind with the latest Q&A edition of Indiantelevision.com’s Weekend Unwind-a series of informal chats that peek into the minds of business executives through a fun lens in an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.
In this week’s session, we have Chtrbox vice president Mrunali Dedhia.
Mrunali joined CHTRBOX in 2016 as its first team member and has since played a pivotal role in its growth. With over 8 years of experience in creator marketing, she has led multiple divisions and key partnerships, driving the company’s expansion into new markets. As Vice President, her expertise in influencer marketing and business operations has been instrumental in solidifying CHTRBOX’s position as a leading player in the industry. With her leadership, CHTRBOX is set to thrive in the evolving influencer marketing landscape.
Without further ado here it goes…
Your mantra for life
“In a world where you can be anything, be kind!”
A book you are currently reading or plan to read
I’m currently reading “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long & Happy Life”, and I’m finding it incredibly interesting and insightful! The book offers a unique perspective on well-being and happiness & encapsulates the essence of finding purpose & joy in everyday life.
Your fitness mantra
In the midst of our hectic schedules, daily gym sessions or home workouts isn’t always realistic (for me). However, my nutritionist introduced me to a simple yet transformative fitness mantra where she asked me to aim for 7K to 10K steps every day. This small change has made a significant impact on my life. Doing these steps not only keeps me active but also makes me feel refreshed. It’s like hitting the reset button in the middle of a hectic day and gives my mind a much-needed break, allowing me to clear my thoughts and regain focus.
Walking daily has been a game changer for me! I honestly feel it’s not about intense workouts but about finding sustainable ways to stay active while still prioritizing your health. And the best part? It’s something I can easily integrate into my day, no matter how hectic things get.
Your comfort food
Pav Bhaji – it’s my ultimate comfort food!
A quote or philosophy that keeps you going when the chips are down
“Everything happens for a reason.” While it may be difficult to see the purpose behind every setback or disappointment, this philosophy encourages me to trust in the greater plan of the Universe. Sometimes, challenges arise to teach us valuable lessons or redirect us onto a different path. Other times, they provide opportunities for personal growth and self-discovery. By embracing this perspective, we can find comfort and reassurance in knowing that there is a purpose behind every experience, even if it may not be immediately clear. It encourages me to have faith in the journey of life and to trust that everything unfolds as it should!
Your guilty pleasure
When I really want to unwind and escape reality, nothing beats a good binge-watch session of reality TV shows. It’s my guilty pleasure that lets me switch off for a while and just enjoy some mindless entertainment.
The last time you tried something new
Attended my very first concert – Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour! The experience was beautiful, surrounded by fellow fans, singing along to every song – it was truly magical!
A life lesson you learned the hard way
I’ve had moments where I’ve looked back and wished I’d spent more time with the people I love. Understanding the importance of having a good balance between work and personal life has been challenging, but it’s what really changed things for me. It’s about finding that sweet spot where both parts of life feel fulfilling!
What gets you excited about life?
New experiences with friends & family, celebrating milestones, traveling to places I’ve never been before and so much more – the list is endless!
What’s on top of your bucket list?
Witnessing the Northern lights in Iceland and indulging in a luxurious self-care pampering session in Korea
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Stop worrying too much & let go of the need to control, everything will work out eventually if you keep doing your best and your heart is in the right place. Take time out for yourself, your family & your friends. It’s important to invest in your personal relationships as much as investing in your work.
One thing you would most like to change about the world
There are a lot of challenges around the world, and it’s difficult to pick one issue that I would resolve or change. However, if there’s one thing I would want to change in us, as humans, is for all of us to lead our lives with kindness, empathy and compassion – in every interaction & decision we make. A world where these values would drive us to lend a helping hand to those in need, to lift each other up; where our differences are celebrated, not feared, where diversity is seen as a strength, not a weakness.
A world where instead of turning a blind eye, we come together as a global community to tackle the big challenges facing humanity. Whether it’s poverty, social injustice or environmental challenges – it’s all dealt with together actively instead of being considered as distant problems.
An activity that keeps you motivated and charged during tough times
Going for walks while listening to music has turned out to be an activity that’s been extremely helpful in tough situations and otherwise. It helps put my thoughts together, calmly evaluate things and doesn’t hurt that it’s a good habit to have!
What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?
Spending time with my loved ones – nothing lifts you up more than the people who truly love you, and I’m blessed with an entire army that I can rely on
Your go-to stress buster
It’s quite funny honestly but watching baby videos is my ultimate stress buster – I have an entire collection on IG dedicated to baby videos
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The Advertising Club adds new categories to Creative Abby 2026
Awards expand global focus; entries open until 6 April
MUMBAI: The Advertising Club has unveiled a fresh set of categories for Creative Abby 2026, sharpening the awards’ global edge while keeping creativity firmly centre stage.
The updated entry form, reflecting all category refinements, is now live on the Club’s website. The awards continue their partnership with The One Club and The One Show. Entries close on April 6, 2026, and eligible work must have been released between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026. Winners will be announced at Goafest 2026.
This year, the Abby Awards Governing Council went a step further, inviting some of India’s most awarded creative leaders and global jury veterans to help reimagine the categories and judging process. The result is a sharper, more future facing framework.
Two new categories have been introduced:
Social content and influencer marketing
Recognising the fast expanding universe of digital creators, collaborations and community building.
Creative commerce, use of data and B2B
Celebrating innovation across online and offline commerce, payment solutions, data driven channels, creative B2B and immersive brand experiences.
Both categories are designed to reward craft and quality of impact, rather than pure effectiveness metrics.
In a bid to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, seven sub categories within the Digital vertical have been removed after being deemed redundant.
Three social good verticals, Green Abby, Red Abby and Diversity Equality and Inclusivity, have now been merged into a single category titled Sustainability and Inclusion, bringing purpose driven work under one cohesive umbrella.
The Mobile category has been discontinued, reflecting the reality that mobile is no longer a niche medium but embedded across digital formats. The new Social Content and Influencer Marketing vertical is expected to absorb much of this work.
Acknowledging the role of marketers in driving creative excellence, a new honour titled Client of the Year has been introduced. It will be awarded to the client whose brands accumulate the highest number of points.
There is also a key change in how Creative Agency of the Year is calculated. Previously determined by points across eight traditional categories such as Print, Film, OOH, Integrated, Audio and Digital, the award will now consider performance across 18 creative categories, excluding Video Craft and Young Maverick Abby. The shift broadens the competitive canvas and reflects the industry’s expanding definition of creativity.
The Advertising Club president and McCann India CEO Dheeraj Sinha said Goafest has long stood for collaboration and creative excellence. He noted that in its 57th year, the Abby Awards continue to raise the bar and bring together the brightest minds in the business.
Abby Awards 2026 chairperson Ajay Kakar, added that the categories had been co created with leading creative luminaries for the first time. He expressed gratitude to The One Club and The One Show for supporting the judging process over the past five years and thanked agencies and clients for their consistent participation.
With new categories, sharper criteria and a broader lens on creativity, Creative Abby 2026 signals that in advertising, evolution is not optional. It is the brief.
