His father is a film distributor, no one in his family is into astrology; he himself went to Bombay from Calcutta to become a film director, yet life had something else planned for Niraj Mancchanda, who is today one of the busiest and most successful numerologists in Bombay.

Niraj discovered that he had the gift of prophecy in his early teens. “My father would show me films he had agreed to distribute. There were others that I saw and I would instinctively blurt out –Oh that film will do well; that won’t. When my father asked why I had said that, I had no answer. But my prediction would come true each time. No one in my family ever consulted astrologers. People who are successful seldom do. And that was the case with my father. He distributed the films of some very successful film directors during that time-Prakash Mehra, Subhash Ghai, Manoj Kumar and then later Rakesh Roshan, so he thought astrology was all rubbish.”

While Niraj found film distribution to be most uninteresting, he was attracted to the creative aspect of film making. While preparing to go to Bombay, he started getting interested in astrology and its branches, be it numerology, graphology, tarot or handwriting analysis.

Niraj left for Bombay when he was 22 and after being on the sets of “Ghaatak”, for a day with director Raj Kumar Santoshi, working on the scripting of the film, Niraj went to join director Dharmesh Darshan for the film Raja Hindustani. “It was during the making of the film that I told Dharmesh the film would be a block buster based on my analysis. I also told Karishma Kapoor that this film should have been renamed Rani Hindustani, because it was really her success story. The film was a big super hit. I then joined the sets of Janwar and told Akshay Kumar it would be his comeback film. Anyone who has followed Akshay’s career will know he was struggling before that and was on the verge of making an untimely exit.”

As Niraj continued dabbling in numerology and astrology, he would help out friends by advising them to change their names or making predictions that came true. “All this while I was gearing up for my first maiden film as a director.” But something happened that completely changed the course of his life. “It was 2004 and in August 2004, a guy came to me, insulted me and said numerology and astrology are all nonsense. I was really angry and hurt. Here there were astrologers charging a hefty sum and had a queue of people outside their house and I was just doing this for free as it was just a hobby and saw this utter lack of appreciation from someone who could not handle the truth. I decided that was that, and the very next day put a price tag to my readings. I haven’t looked back since then. Its strange how until August 2004 I was all geared up for a film career and by October 2004 my entire career path had changed. But that is what happens with major planetary changes. Everything can change and the effects start showing a few months in advance as happened in my case.”

Today Niraj has a huge clientele –ranging from Bollywood celebrities, to top industrialists to every day people. His father started consulting him after two films that he bought, didn’t do well-something Niraj had predicted in advance and they both starred superstar Hritik Roshan. “My father had first taken me to Rakesh Roshan’s office when Kaho Na Pyaar Hai was about to be launched, and I had taken one look at Hritik’s picture and said this boy will be the next superstar. Dad asked, should I distribute the film? I said yes. I had also predicted that Hritik will do well only with his father, and Kaho Na pyaar Hai was a super hit. The two films that flopped were Fiza and Na Tum Jano Na hum, with other directors. Hritik’s come back was Koi Mil Gaya, again with his father and Lakshya which came promptly after that with another director flopped miserably.” Niraj changed his father’s name number and says if Hritik adds a C to his name, there would be no stopping him.

Just as Niraj had predicted Akshay Kumar’s comeback and the fact that he would have a super successful run, he predicted that 2009 would be the worst year for Akshay. Chandni Chowk to China Akshay’s first film had been written off as a super flop weeks before its release by Niraj and that happened. Niraj says Akshay’s subsequent films will also flop, except for one which has been named by Niraj. “ But even in that film the credit will go to Sylvester Stallone and the director and not Akshay. His film Blue and another, Tasveer with Nagesh Kukunoor will also flop. In fact Nagesh is in great danger of losing his foothold in the industry as Nagesh’s other film Ashaayein won’t work either. It’s already run into a lot of trouble.”

Niraj had correctly predicted great success for Aamir Khan in 2009 many weeks before the release of Ghajini, which went on to become a huge money churner at the box office. “Its interesting when you see the producers and directors many of the stars work with, and check their birth and destiny numbers-those numbers are very compatible. So Akshay has people whose numbers are,3 and 9 as he is a number 9 and these numbers are lucky for him and vice versa and Shahrukh Khan for example has people with numbers that add up to a 2 and 7 as those are lucky numbers for him and vice versa.

Niraj also gives predictions for cities and countries and says it’s important to study a branch of astrology called mundane astrology while predicting their along with their Vastu. “ The number for India, for example is 12-many people will say oh it adds up to a 3 which is the number of Jupiter, the luckiest planet and hence auspicious for India. But I see 12 as a number of compromises. Similarly USA adds up to a number 10 which in the tarot represents the wheel of fortune, and many people forget that the wheel of fortune moves forward and in reverse. USA is now going through a 9 year cycle of reverse. Obama is a number 4 and Manmohan Singh a number 8, and number 3 and 1 the country numbers are also compatible. So as long as Manmohan Singh is Prime Minister the two heads of states will get along famously as these numbers are very compatible with each other. We have elections coming up and if there is a new Prime Minister, we will have to see the chart to see what the future relationship holds.

Obama however will not do well in the next three years. It will be in his 50th year that he will see positive changes. Until then whatever he tries to accomplish will not materialize, and he will find himself struggling with setbacks and unexpected trials and tensions.”

The year 2009, says Niraj, will be a year of illusion, when you will see things going up and then falling way below expectations. “India and China will do better than others, but don’t expect India to be the next super power soon. It won’t happen in the next 9 years. Things will start getting better from 2010, but its in 2017 when I new cycle will start and we will see a boom again but until then things will be low key all around the world.

Is everything pre destined and cannot be changed?

“No that is not at all true. There is a story that Goddess Lakshmi’s father rishi Bhrigu went to Lord Shiva and said I have written the destiny of every person who will be born. Please give me your blessing that it will all come true. Lord Shiva said-what you have written is only 33 percent. Another 33 percent is changed by the person’s deed, another 33 percent by prayer and I keep the remaining 1 percent with me, for the final decision.” So I believe that we can completely eradicate our obstacles and troubles by taking the right action, prayers and leave the rest to Shiva.” Niraj says there are specific mantras and prayers for specific problems and it’s very important to understand the meaning of each mantra. “When you know what you are chanting, it’s immersed within you and the good effects double. I have done poojas for others and the effectiveness is quite visible in the way things change for people from whom I’ve done this”.

Niraj was an avid and highly accurate Tarot card reader but says it is a very exhausting exercise for the reader and so since 2006 he no longer does tarot card readings on a regular basis, but sends clients to others. “ People’s vibrations can affect the reader and at the end of the day, I would be drained out and get headaches.”

Niraj finds that industrialists who believe in numerology or astrology (and he combines a lot of branches) pay promptly and appreciate what he has to offer. The film industry has a number of people, who want freebies and also don’t want to admit that they consult astrologers.

For those who scoff at astrology, alternative healing, the potency of prayers, and are then surprised when they decide to experiment in the bad time, only to be surprised by the positive results, Niraj has this to say-“Life doesn’t necessary have to be difficult. People are often confused when something they can’t explain happens. Today people just keep on overanalyzing everything and trying to find logic. And then, whatever science can’t explain, whatever defies logic- becomes a miracle. People don’t realize that these remedies, astrology etc have been handed down to us by superior beings, who knew what they were talking about. Unfortunately, very few people in this world have full knowledge of these divine sciences, mantra power and so people come away disappointed. There are chakras in our bodies and you have to understand how they work. People who are mediocre always work with their lower chakras. People who excel always have their higher chakras open, especially their heart chakras. Also remember there are good and bad vibrations. Negative thoughts poison your being with negativity and bring about negative situations. Positive thoughts bring positive vibrations. I also tell people, come to me when you are doing well, so I can guide you to maximize your potential but its human nature to turn to the divine and other kinds of help when they are in trouble”.

Niraj says he loves what he does for many reasons but the key thing for him is the fact that “this is a profession where you are really helping people and similar professions bring great blessing. For example a doctor will have some special blessings come his or her way because while they charge for their services, many doctors do free service also, and their career is for the betterment of mankind. And I believe that everyone MUST give back to the city, the country they live in and to the world at large, otherwise there will be no growth of any kind.”

Niraj can be contacted on www.NirajMancchanda.org