Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kartik Dhawan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kartik, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

I was out travelling. It had been 3 months on the road, where I worked remotely. Alongside my main job, I was hoping I could find myself & find a stream of creativity, of any sort. At the time, I was also managing a cafe on an interim basis in a remote mountain area of the Himalayas, in Himachal Pradesh, India. That is when it all began.

I was so fuelled with passion & a strong intent to learn film making; that I went on a 30 day challenge, where I tried to create concept based short form content everyday. The sheer consistency & performance intention that people could see in my work got me loads of attention online. And with that, I believed I could create a career out of this in the near future. It is still in progress, not even half way through but I have faith.

But when I talk about this moment where I could point it all began, one thing cannot go without mention: It had been years of trying & failing at the art of consistent free flowing creativity that got me there. When I was 13, I wanted to be a painter, it flowed through me; when I turned 16 i really began observing & capturing things deeply. I was able to see outside the ordinary vision. I didnt know at the time what it was, but as time progressed it all collectively shaped the way i see things
now. And that vision, helped me be a cinematographer & a creative director.

The moment I started seeing results for my efforts which I put in consistently, I knew i was right about it. It was something I was born to do and that feeling is insanely underrate din such an endeavor; i.e. believing in your goal & watching little success coming over consistently to you.

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?

My name is Kartik. I am a cinematographer & an aspiring film maker. I curate cinematic travel & life experiences for brands and for myself first.

My creative roots go back to age 13, painting with wild abandon, and 16, when I started seeing beyond the ordinary—capturing moments others missed. Years of trial and error, from sketching to struggling with tech (like that time I wrestled a req.body error to get my portfolio site live), shaped my vision. Later I learnt how to operate a camera & various film making techniques. That persistence led me to cinematography and creative direction, self-taught through passion and practice.

I first got into the business side of this passion-project when I started gaining attention on Instagram, that consistent support from the audience helped me become more confident about the idea of monetising it & enjoying it at the same time.

What sets me apart is my perspective, honed by travel and years of observing life’s details. I don’t just shoot videos; I craft narratives that feel alive, backed by the consistency I learned in that 30-day challenge. I’m proudest of 3-4 short form reels from that challenge that went viral, racking up over 10 million views each and landing me my first major client—a local brand whose campaign doubled their engagement. The kind of services i provided to monetise it included music promotion with cinematic edits, music video production, client videoshoot, clothing brand shoots. and travel experiences for hotels & resorts.

Later on I kept on capitalising on more such opportunities for work as a creator for various brands for paid & barter collaborations, all of this, alongside my full time 9-7 job. This itself inspired me. I told myself, “Imagine if you could dedicate your full time to this, you could learn & grow so much; also make a fortune if i get good at it.” That still keeps me going, it pushes me through this phase where I cannot do that full time.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media can be a tricky place to be in. On one side you’re putting your art out in the open to be perceived and appreciated, at the same time it can be a labyrinth of required attention to feel validated.

So i believe that sticking to your true intentions is more important than the goal itself. Like, you wouldn’t want to be anxiously attached to the validation you receive on social media in pursuit of being Instagram famous. You should stick to your intentions of upskilling & becoming better at your art and eventually expanding your business objectively.

That is what I did. I stayed with the idea of learning ‘how to’ be a better story teller through cinematography by practicing in real & being consistent. In the short run, I saw no results but It did not bug me since I stuck with my true intentions. I posted regularly without compromising on the quality; I wanted to create a community more than just ‘followers’ which required interactions with genuine intent. I connected with a lot of growing artists at the same time. I grew from 1k to 75k in a year and i learnt a lot.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

While I do have a goal that drives me everyday but at the same time it doesn’t overpower the joy I find in the process itself.

My goal is to create freely; without restrictions of the social norms online; whether it goes viral or not is of lesser importance to me than it hitting the right audience & it catering to creative minds. My goal also includes be a film maker of a level where I cater to help brands grow more sensually and on a global level. In order to do that, I must love what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kartikdhawan.in
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/notkartikk
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@filmsbykartikk