Hailing from a very humble middle-class background, the earnest, energetic & enigmatic Marine Engineer Officer, Piyush Gupta has added another feather to his cap. His comedy web series is being released by the top OTT platform of the country, MX Player, which features Pankhuri Awasthy, Aditya Deshmukh & other notable actors.

In conversation with Marex Media, Piyush shares his journey from serving at the top maritime management positions in various technical and training roles to his comedy web series PNP Junction.

After serving the shipping industry as Senior Technical Manager & Training Superintendent, congratulations on the MX Player comedy web series PNP Junction. How did that happen?

I feel elated by your intricate introduction. It is truly a sensational feeling to be able to pursue your profession & passion, both at the same time. Shipping as profession gives ample free time during vacations which proved to be the fertile ground for developing the actor inside me. On one hand I was developing simulator-based training / managing aframax tankers & on the other I was learning Acting from Mr Anupam Kher & dance from Mr. Shiamak Davar.

How do you manage to carry out these two distinct roles?

I firmly believe that mariners are very hardworking people. When they set their targets, they work for extended hours to achieve the desired result. That training of being persistent and industrious helped me tremendously to fulfill my dream.

There have been many weeks where I used to go to office from Monday to Friday and then work on my character’s audition during the weekends. Passion serves as the best fuel. And once you pass the initial setbacks, the journey becomes more and more rewarding. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, be it Ratan Tata or a beggar on the street. What you do with that time shapes your life.

People often say that there is lack of opportunities for seafarers as they remain at sea for months and months. Do you think it’s true?

There is a famous success mantra by Jim Rohn, “Focus on the solution and not the problem”. Shipping throws a lot of situations; be it a long anchorage or long wait between connecting trans-Atlantic flights. It’s upon us to either use that time to channel our creative energies or rue about being disconnected from the world.

The whole world around you changes when you follow the above mantra & make your weakness your biggest strength.

Your message to young seafarers & shipping community…

If I can do it, you can do it too. I come from a very humble background where my father was a shopkeeper & my mother was a school teacher in a small town called Pilibhit. We had limited means but they provided us the best education possible.

My shout to all youngsters is grab good education and training with both hands, whenever available. This will become your super power. Any individuals who knows & does the job well, is hard to find in any industry. Jobs will follow you, if you excel in whatever you do. So never stop trying.

Marex Media

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Invitation

I would like to invite the shipping community family to watch PNP Junction web series on MX player from 7^th July 2022 onwards. It is a fun filled laugh riot story about an engineering student’s life (based on Hollywood’s super successful television series FRIENDS & Big Bang Theory).