Conversations with Arnav Shah

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arnav Shah.

Hi Arnav, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey started early in my school days when I used to take part in elocution competitions. As a 5th grader standing in front of an audience of 200 kids, it felt like the world was my stage. I was not intimidated by the eyes on me. Instead, it felt exhilarating to be able to grab and hold the audience’s attention like that. I reckon that’s when it began and I have not looked back ever since! I got into short films during my undergrad and made a bunch of them. They were definitely not the best, not by a long shot, but it was a good start. I worked my way into small film competitions and won a couple of awards too. In those moments, it felt like I was working towards something bigger. Eventually, I ended up at a good production house in Bombay where we shot numerous commercials for big brands. There was grandeur in those sets and also those moments. I fully believe that those were the moments when I fell in love with the set life and decided that making a movie is my ultimate dream.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, I consider it to be a mix of both worlds. I do consider myself privileged to be here in Hollywood, following my dreams. This isn’t an opportunity that everyone gets, and I am fully appreciative and aware of the same. But I won’t deny that there haven’t been any bumps till this point. Growing up, we moved houses a lot. My father did not have a stable job, which meant that I really didn’t settle in one place. For the longest time, I did not experience the true feeling of home and belongingness and this affected me as a person and as a creative. Unfortunately, money was also sparse during this time. But as they say, there is no real substitute to hard work, and that is what we did. With our hard work and god’s blessings, we were able to come out of that loop. I know that this isn’t the end of obstacles for me, but as a storyteller, I do know one thing, that there is no great story without a whole lot of risk and a whole lot of courage.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
After working in the commercial industry for a few years, I discovered that my real talent lay in creating a story cause that’s what I was looking, even while selling a product. It started by writing scripts for a brand and making a story that broke into 4-5 commercials. I went on from creating content in pre-production to managing on-set production. Though I do movies nowadays, I think my heart will always be in creating quick and quirky commercials. With my blend of talents for talent acquisition and long-term, big-picture thinking, I also try to bring a novel approach to any role that I am given.

What matters most to you?
I believe that my work is to tell stories. It is to write them, embed life into them, nurture the characters and themes, and finally bring them to life to share it with people.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arnavvshahh/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/contactarnav
• Other: https://www.behance.net/arnavshah