We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dhruvraj Singh Bhati. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dhruvraj Singh below.

Dhruvraj Singh, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I think I am very happy as a filmmaker. But, of course the question about whether having a regular job over having a creative career does cross my mind more often than not. I mean, it was probably just a day or two ago when I was talking to my mom back in India after screening a three episode mini series that I worked as a part of USC’s Straight to Series Capstone class and she asked me when will producing things like that start ‘paying’ me, as opposed to my roommates who are in tech and will end up with a regular job pretty soon after they graduate and get paid the big bucks. It’s also so easy to compare my progress against theirs every day when I see them around me in my house interviewing for tech giants and transitioning into a new chapter in their life, as opposed to me, who often thinks about how will Producing the next short I am working on ever pay my rent?

That said, most creatives or artists when starting out have a day job that helps them pay their bills and I am fortunate enough to have that. Personally, it has always been helpful to listen to people who are currently either in a position of power in the industry who started out doing just that until they got their big break to make movies full times OR talking to your peers who are in the same boat as you and remind you that you are not alone. More often than not we forget that the reason we choose not to do a regular job in the first place is because we were not meant to – boy do I dread going to my day job every day! But, that’s exactly what drives me to keep chasing my dream of becoming a producer and do that full time. And of course for my mom who thinks being a filmmaker is like a regular job and really just wants this business to pay me! haha.

Dhruvraj Singh, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Sure! I am Dhruvraj Singh Bhati and I am a producer based in Los Angeles who was brought up in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. I moved to LA in 2023 for my MFA in Film and Television Production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts after I spent a couple years working as a freelance marketer and content producer. I worked for sports and political brands in India realizing that my true love lies in making movie and telling stories. What started as a making short films to upload on YouTube with friends back in India soon transformed into a reality with me moving to LA and deciding to be a producer. Since then, I have been a producer of a plethora of short films and a mini-series and I continue to work on elevating my craft and pushing my limits every time I get on another project.

My recent projects include – M87, No Loose Ends, The Burden of Care and Legacy, that are all going to start their festival run really soon! I am currently producing four other projects, one of which is being shot on an LED volume stage and is done completely virtually and another that is actually a fashion and music performance in a studio in LA. I am a big fan of variety and want to keep supporting the telling of stories as a producer. I gravitate towards narratives that are culturally specific and need to be heard on a global scale. I’ve always been interested in exploring how cultural interaction and exchange through stories bridge the gap between worlds. I want to be a catalyst who takes local stories and turns them into global films or TV shows. So, if you ever need a producer who can get the job done and is ready for challenge that’s international, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram @dhruvraj7!

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Growing up in a small city in India was a very unique experience and a large part of doing something out of the ordinary such as starting out as a photographer or making short films in a city like that was learning the nuts and bolts of the craft on your own. In a city where you’re mostly surrounded by business people and lawyers, there’s only so many people you can talk to about how best to advance your creative journey. That’s where online blogs and YouTube or internet as a whole would’ve ideally come into play and that’s what I wished I knew to milk a lot more before learning things by trial. Not that it was time wasted, but the whole process could’ve been made a lot more efficient. Especially today in times like having access to AI and so many resources about every specific field I really want to make sure that I spend time learning on the fly and keeping up with the market.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a producer is to be able to share a story with the world and being heard. Being a producer really allows me to support stories that need to be heard and allows me to try and make a small difference in the world with the work that I do. A faculty member of mine from my undergrad once told me, “what’s the point of life if you are not giving back to the society and helping the next generation” – and I think I am doing just that by being an artist. As someone who grew up wanting to be listened to and heard by the world – not because I had something crazy to tell but – to be seen, recognized and have his legacy left behind. The power and value of stories is truly unmatched and I think I am just playing a small part in making the world realize that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dhruvraj.in
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dhruvraj7/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhruvrajsinghbhati/

Image Credits

Sam Luo
Caileigh Gold
Su Lee
Olivia Zhang