From Netflix Background Actor to EMA Paris MBA Student

Meet Praroop Goswami, an MBA student at École de Management Appliqué (EMA Paris) who is successfully balancing his business studies with a rising acting career in Paris, including work as a background actor for Netflix.

Please introduce yourself and where you are from

My name is Praroop Goswami, and I’m from India. I moved to France for my studies, and I’m currently living in Paris while pursuing my MBA at EMA Paris. My background is in Media, Graphics and Animation, so I’ve always been connected to creative work. I enjoy music, filmmaking, content creation and, more recently, acting. Moving to Paris gave me the chance to explore all of these interests in a new environment.

What are you studying at EMA?

I’m currently doing my MBA at EMA Paris. What I really like about the MBA is that it gives me a better understanding of how businesses actually work. I’m learning about management, marketing, strategy and entrepreneurship, which I think will be useful for whatever I decide to build in the future.

Why did you want to come to Paris and EMA in particular?

I wanted to experience something completely different from what I was used to. Paris is such an international and creative city. There are people from all over the world, and you can find opportunities in business, fashion, cinema, media and many other areas. EMA also gave me the opportunity to study in an international environment and meet people from different backgrounds. Of course, moving to a new country wasn't always easy. I had to adapt to a new culture, learn French and manage my studies alongside work. But honestly, those challenges helped me grow a lot as a person.

How long have you been acting?

I would say I’m still quite new to acting.I started exploring acting through figuration and film projects in Paris. I've had the opportunity to work on productions such as Astrid et Raphaëlle, Sandcastles and Karma, as well as working as a background actor for Netflix. Being on real film sets has been a great learning experience for me. You see how much work happens behind the scenes, and it also makes you realise how important teamwork is in the entertainment industry. I’m still learning and developing, but I really enjoy the experience and would like to continue.

What inspired you to pursue business studies alongside your acting career instead of focusing on just one?

For me, I don't really see acting and business as two different things. I love the creative side of entertainment, but I’m also curious about what happens behind the camera production, marketing, branding, management and how creative projects actually become businesses.That’s one of the reasons I decided to study business.
I want to understand both sides. I can develop myself creatively through acting and other projects, while my MBA gives me the business knowledge that can help me build something bigger in the future.

What are your goals for the future?

Honestly, I’m still figuring out exactly where the journey will take me.But I know that I want to stay connected to creativity and entertainment. I want to continue acting, work on film and media projects, and keep developing my skills.At the same time, I want to use what I’m learning in business to eventually create something of my own. For me, the goal is not to have just one job or one identity. I want to build a career where business and creativity can work together.

Do you plan to use your business degree to produce or start your own venture in the entertainment space down the road?

Yes, definitely. That is something I would love to explore. I’m interested in the idea of eventually producing creative projects or starting something in the media or entertainment space. My MBA can help me with the side of things that you don't necessarily learn as a creative—budgeting, strategy, marketing, partnerships and understanding how to make a project sustainable. I don't have a complete plan yet, but I know that I want to use both my creative background and my business education in the future.

What advice would you give to other young creatives who are hesitant to pursue a traditional degree alongside their art?

I would simply say: you don't always have to choose one or the other. If you love art, acting, music or any other creative field, you should continue doing it. But learning something about business or another field can also give you more options later. For me, studying while working and exploring acting in Paris has sometimes been challenging, but I've learned a lot from it. You don't need to have your whole life planned at 20 or 25. Try things, learn from them and see where they take you.The most important thing is to keep moving forward without giving up on the things you genuinely enjoy.