We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nimisha Nair a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nimisha, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.

Is it funny/sad to say that I think about this more often than not? What I’m trying to get better at now is fully embracing the tech whirlwind that’s all around us – social media, film gadgets, the whole shebang. Luckily, I’ve grown up in a generation where I got a front-row seat to the tech rollercoaster, from VHS to CDs, DVDs, and now Netflix ruling the roost. Witnessing YouTube explode and Facebook shaking up the game – it’s been a wild ride.

But looking back, I wish I could’ve ridden that rapid change wave a bit more gracefully. Starting over, I would have invested more of my time utilizing these resources, developing my skills in editing and graphics, and learning the technicalities of camera and cinema earlier on. I believe knowing what I know now, I would have started making movies when I was knee-high, documenting everything around me on my camera and maybe even putting it up on YouTube! Learning the ropes of distribution, too – that’s a skill I’d want in my back pocket sooner.

Hindsight’s a tricky thing.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I often describe myself as a muti-hyphenated filmmaker having dipped my toes in various departments since my filmmaking journey began in 2017. Recently, I’ve been aiming to shed the ‘Jack-of-all-trades’ label, striving to become a “Master of one,” particularly in directing. Nonetheless, I firmly believe that being a human Swiss army knife remains advantageous in this industry.

Having directed over four short films, not including two documentaries, I’ve always found it funny that I’ve hesitated to don the title of Film Director, always concerned about whether I’m truly deserving of such recognition.

Raised in the coastal city of Kochi in Kerala, Southern India, my cultural roots have always served as an anchor, influencing the movies I create today. Some of the best movies I’ve experienced are from the Malayalam Film Industry, the local industry in Kerala. It would be a full-circle moment for me to direct movies in Mollywood (as the industry is fondly called).

At the age of 18, I ventured to Pune to pursue Graphic Design. However, a fortunate turn of events led me to Filmmaking, and amidst the challenges of the Covid era, I graduated with a Bachelor of Design in Film and Video Design from MIT Institute of Design in Pune. Relocating to LA in 2021, after brief stints in film and commercials, was a dream I hardly dared to hope for. Shoutout to my parents for making it come true!

Movies have been my constant companions in life, even if it sounds a bit cheesy to say so. They have always been there for me to help me understand the world and my emotions. I find cinema to be such a beautiful, honest, and powerful medium of expression that always manages to affect me. Even today, I can still remember the feelings that were stirred up inside me when I watched my favorite movies. This is precisely why I aspire to create movies – not to change the world, but to be a friend to others, much like cinema has been to me.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My aim as a filmmaker is to create socially responsible yet entertaining movies. During my early years in the film industry, I was fortunate to meet Adoor Gopalakrishnan, one of India’s legendary film directors. The conversation I had with him has stayed with me ever since. He once said that cinema is all about conveying a message. Just because someone knows how to read and write doesn’t make them a poet. A poet has something to say.

I believe that cinema has the power to make a significant impact on people’s lives. I have seen how films can shape people’s thoughts and opinions, sometimes negatively. It is an enormous privilege to have a voice and make art. However, it is equally important to me that I use it to create responsible films that can bring about positive change. I strive to address issues such as dismantling patriarchy, environmentalism, animal rights, and decolonization through my work.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I believe that I have consistently pivoted throughout my entire life – whether it be in the careers I aspired to pursue as a child, ranging from a teacher to a space scientist to a graphic designer to a filmmaker. However, particularly since entering the filmmaking world, I have continually shifted between various roles in an attempt to find my footing. While I consider it a strength that I have worked in all departments of the entertainment industry, providing me with a profound understanding of how they form a cohesive whole, it is also a weakness that I haven’t dedicated enough time to anchor myself as an expert in one specific role. From working as a camera assistant, cinematographer, gaffer, editor, sound recordist, and sound mixer, to an assistant costume director while simultaneously handling roles in writing, producing, and directing my movies, my resume is as scattered as my thoughts.

Currently, I have discovered my niche in script supervising, a role that truly plays to my strengths and I enjoy and where I have finally achieved consistency. This role has also influenced the way I approach the scripts I am writing, particularly those I intend to direct, as that is a passion I refuse to let go.

Contact Info:

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

Image Credits
Photo 4: Siddhesh Pandey