Puranjit Dasgupta (born 21 August 1982) better known by his stage name Mantra, is an Indian actor, film director and producer, who started his career as a Radio jockey. He is known for his portrayal of Bhaskar Bose in Spotify's detective thriller podcast Bhaskar Bose and Genie in Disney India's broadway-style musical Aladdin He appeared in various Hindi films, notably Panipat (2019), High Jack (2018), Rebellious Flower (2016), London, Paris, New York (2012), Bheja Fry 2 (2011), Game (2011) and Tum Mile (2009). He is the founder of Mumbai based production company, Mantramugdh Productions. He gained a name as a host, anchoring for TV shows like India's Got Talent, Comedy Circus, and Zara Nachke Dikha, and also hosted the Pro Kabaddi League, a Kabaddi league for the past seven seasons. Early life He was born to Chandra Dasgupta, an actress who worked in Hindi cinema and Prabir Dasgupta, a book publisher. He spent his childhood years in Indore and did most of his schooling at Indore Public School, Indore. Before venturing into the media industry, he was in the hospitality business from 1996 to 2000 and worked as a front desk receptionist and manager for The Taj Hotel. Career Radio RJ Mantra started his career with Radio Mirchi, the India's first private FM station in 2001. He moved to Delhi in 2003 and joined Radio City, where he hosted Route 91. He then moved on to work with Red FM 93.5, where he also hosted Radio show, Mumbai Local. He took a break from Radio in 2012. He returned to Radio in February 2017 with 92.7 Big FM's radio drama Lamhe With Mantra, a fiction-based show based on a particular theme of romance for each day. Films Mantra made his film debut as an actor with Vishesh Films' Tum Mile in 2009, where he appeared as the second lead Vicky. He went on to appear in Abhishek Bachchan starrer Game (2011), followed by Sagar Ballary's comedy film, Bheja Fry 2 (2011). He played the role of Nandu, a gangster in Hum Tum Shabana (2011) and a Paris-based sex toy shop owner in London, Paris, New York (2012). In 2016's Rebellious Flower, a biopic of spiritual leader Osho Rajneesh, Mantra played the triple role of three spiritual guides who help Osho find enlightenment. The film was shot in real locations in rural Madhya Pradesh in Central India. In 2018, he was