Rising Stars: Meet Nimisha Nair

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nimisha Nair.

Hi Nimisha, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born and raised in Kochi, a small but urban city in the beautiful state of Kerala in Southern India. I grew up in a family of achievers and dreamers; though contradictory, they taught me to dream big but practically. Growing up, I was a voracious reader courtesy of my late grandfather, whose presence was instrumental to how I began writing at a young age. From him, I learned the value of words and stories. In my later years in school, I would enroll in writing competitions, and the prizes I won for it pushed me to pursue an artistic career. At the same time, my interest in photography and painting motivated me further.

Films, especially Malayalam Cinema, were a massive part of my life as that’s how my family used to spend time together. In many ways, movies were my companions, and certain movies and characters are home to me.

However, I realized that “I,” too, could make a film only through a friend during my undergraduate at MIT Institute of Design, Pune. I had enrolled to pursue a career in Graphic Design, but after my first year, when we had to choose our specializations, I was sure that was not what I wanted to do. My time as an undergraduate made me fall in love with filmmaking as we spent three years filming commercials, documentaries, and narrative short films. The people I met also introduced me to many incredible opportunities, one of which was when I participated in a traveling film festival in Italy for three months which opened my eyes to great talent and world cinema. I also had the opportunity to intern with a renowned director, where I gained practical knowledge of the industry. Fast forward, I graduated with a Bachelor of Design in Film and Video Design, and now I am in Los Angeles, the land of cinema, where I get to pursue my dreams.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My uncle told me something once that has been ingrained in me since. “Whatever trouble you are going through at the time may seem monumental to you then, but when you look back at it years later, you will realize that it wasn’t quite a big deal, and you will be grateful for the experience.” I may need to translate it better, but the idea has helped me stay calm during tough times.

I am one of the fortunate few who had the constant support of my family to venture unknown into an artistic field/career with no assurance of stability or success, financially or otherwise. I am eternally grateful to my family for their support in helping me achieve my dreams. Through them, their challenges, and the people around me, I learned how important it is to work hard, encourage and help others, and the value of kindness and honesty. Like most in my generation, I graduated in 2020 at the peak of COVID, which generated a lot of uncertainty and instability professionally and financially. Around this time, the imposter syndrome became my constant companion. Challenges have always been consistent; however, life has generally been kind to me. Any roadblocks I have had in life, even though they broke me down for a time, have only made me appreciate the people in my life more, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am currently enrolled in MFA Filmmaking at New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, where I focus my skills on writing and directing films. My time in LA has taught me an enormous amount of knowledge on improving my craft. My dream lies in making narrative features and short films, while the time right now allows me to experiment and create as I realize my artistic voice and style. I am attracted to slice-of-life and drama stories that expound on small incidents and unique characters. I am currently coming off the post-production of a drama short film I wrote and directed last year about a family who hires professional mourners for their father’s funeral. I am also working on my thesis film, a drama short film exploring a married couple’s relationship as they undergo empty nest syndrome.

What matters most to you? Why?
Kindness, empathy, and our actions matter. As the visionary Indian film director, Govindan Aravindan, said, “No work of art directly or indirectly changes society or human beings. However, cinema has the power to influence the human mind.” Through my work, I wish to write and portray stories and characters that can reveal humanity, be thought-provoking, and simultaneously entertain people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.behance.net/nimisha-nair
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nims.nair/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nimisha-nair/ 

Image Credits
Image 3 Credit: Siddhesh Pandey