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

Alright, Nidhi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

“If you have passion for something just go for it even if the journey seems difficult, sooner or later you will figure it out. But don’t let the flame inside you fade away.”

Coming from a society where people think that if a girl is staying out after 7 PM then her upbringing is wrong or what kind of parents they would be who cannot handle their kids?

Trust me I have heard it so many times and even today after people know what I do for a living I sometimes hear the question “why do you stay out at night? What work goes on till late at night?”. I still see people making faces when I tell them I work in the film industry as a Production Designer. Hardly any person gets excited to know in detail about my work instead they start judging me and my choices with their never-ending questions. “Why do you want to work in the entertainment industry you are good with academics?” Or “How come your parents are supporting you?” Or “Are you sure you will be able to make it because you don’t have a film background?” Or “How will you earn good money?”. When people bombarded me with such questions earlier I never had a proper answer to confront them. In fact, it made me doubt my choices and goals in life. I was about to give up on my passion to work behind the camera because of a lack of support from my family and the continuous taunting from society.

But as they say, giving up on your passion means you are welcoming a life that you will never appreciate and be happy about. I can never imagine my life being that way. So I decided that either it’s my way or no way. I can’t give up on my dreams just because I’m scared of what people will think or take me as. Why should I let people decide and write the story of my life? The first battle for me was to convince my family that having a career in the entertainment industry is not a bad thing and even though I don’t have a film background I will still work hard and make them proud of me.

After gathering enough courage and strength I went up to my family. I made them sit in a living room and I stood in front of them as if I’m about to give a long speech. Of course, I was pretending to be strong but my heart was racing. The stare from my family was not helping me and I was sweating in an air-conditioning room. After about a minute my dad stood up and said “if this is a game I’m too busy for it”. I looked at his face for a few seconds and yelled: I want to make my career in the film industry working behind the camera if you will not support me I’m still going to do it with my own capabilities. I have applied to film schools and would like to go and study. There was silence in the room and I looked at my father. My dad didn’t say anything and left the room. Other members were not saying much they just looked at me smiled and left the room. My heart broke after seeing the look on my dad’s face. You know “that guilty feeling” when you know you did nothing wrong but your heart still blames you for it.

Later, I went into his room with a heavy heart. I stood next to him. I said, “Sorry dad I didn’t mean to hurt you.” My dad turned around smiled and said, “I loved the confidence you have in yourself and the fire to prove that you can achieve what you aim for. Don’t ever let that flame die because it will keep you going and will keep reminding you that you still have to make your parents and family proud of you.

Tables do turn around I realized it that day. I hugged my father and promised him that I won’t give up easily as long as he have my back.

The first company where I worked was Contiloe Pictures which makes TV serials and worked there in the Creative/Art department. Then my journey started in the entertainment industry. I started working on feature films, advertising, short films, musicals, etc as a Production Designer and Director. To fulfill my dreams further I decided to study in the States and to get extra knowledge about the Hollywood industry. Later, I started to work here as a Production Designer and I’m known for that in this industry. A musical short film “Best Foreigner Forever” that went to film festivals, and won a nominee at the Cannes film festival went through many hardships from composing a song to making needs meet. We didn’t expect it to do so well and it open a gate of more opportunities for me.

The journey until now was hard because I had no contacts in the industry plus for a few months I was not getting any projects then the support of my family also started drifting. But then during these times, it’s you who needs to be strong and bring the flame for your passion back. That way you are able to make yourself happy and gain back the things that you have lost. Today, after seeing me do well in my field my parents feel proud of me and they are supporting me to do better. As for people they still talk and ask the same questions but now as I said I have become the writer of my own life, not them.

Even if the struggle is real, one will be able to achieve the goals if he or she sets his or her mind in it. I still have a lot to learn and don’t want to stop learning. Because the flame to achieve my goals is still burning inside me. And there are many people in the industry who still needs to know me and I need to know them.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Movies hold the power not only to entertain but challenge us to broaden our understanding of the world, and the people within it.

I am a Production Designer currently based in Los Angeles but my journey with films began when I was 14 years old. I had just watched Salaam Bombay! (A 1988 film about the daily lifestyle of kids living in slums in Bombay) earlier that week I was telling my friends about it. Describing the whole movie, I arrived at the climax and decided that I wanted them to capture how the ending played out. So, I set them up, fed them their lines, and fetched a few props. I tried my best to describe to my acting friends how to play each part. Eventually, with all the noise we created, we gathered the family and held an impromptu performance. At that age, I would have directed my first directorial debut with little creativity. After all, films are an insight into the human imagination and offer the chance to inhabit a world that would otherwise never exist.

That at that very second of my life everything simply clicked for me and I knew what I wanted to do. I had an idea about what I wanted to do but each time I’d think about it, I’d feel that my train of thought was being blanketed by a thick coat of immunity. Several modern filmmakers are too inspired by classic cinema and I’m grateful that my professors brought me closer to the grammar of this art. As we moved ahead in the course the films got more diverse and we got introduced to more advanced techniques in Indian and American cinema.

I came to Los Angeles for my Masters’s in Film and Media from New York Film Academy. As excited, as I was to write the new chapter I didn’t know life had planned something weird. You guessed it right “COVID”. Everything went online and my desire to explore died down a little. But didn’t let that stop me. I got to work as a Production Designer for the first time on a short film. That made me realize that other than directing I also like to get the vision come to reality which doesn’t but could exist.

I explored different genres and tried various ways to design the sets to convey the story to the viewers. It took
me a while to figure out what I wanted to make of my life after discovering the side of set design, and I slowly became more certain about being a Production Designer. I had this strange feeling that everything had just begun, and I had just started to get to know the cinema.

I spent a considerable amount of time researching projects and their set designs, reading books, and understanding the themes for films all of which have helped me become a more well-rounded Production designer.

I know there will be many challenges along the way, but I’m grateful for a career that always challenges me to think out of the box and always lets me explore a new and different side of the world through stories.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The process of creating art is a learning process that continues for your entire career and life. Being an artist is like working in a field with your brain constantly running creatively. Witnessing your growth as an artist is the most rewarding part of being an artist. Whenever I work on a set I always have one question in my mind “How can I make it more creative and unique for the story and myself?” Being a curious soul myself, I like to challenge my creativity and I guess it keeps me going.

Have someone commission you to do something you love and have them take an interest in your art. I feel your art shows others the kind of a person you are.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

What to do if your family wants you to help them with the family business?

My family wanted me to work for a steady job where the income is fixed and I get all the benefits from the company. Convincing my parents of a field that was new for them was a challenge in itself. Having a passion for your dream is not enough unless you work for it.

Also, living in a society where everyone will treat you like an outsider because this is a field where only people with a film background can make it to the top. At a point, I did feel like giving up because of so much overthinking I did plus what would society think of me.

I decided that the entertainment industry is not an option. Then one day when I decided I’ll start to apply for colleges my sister came into my room. She just asked me 2 questions: I thought you were passionate about films, weren’t you? After a few years will you be happy with this decision or sad about not taking a leap for your passion?

I kept thinking all night with the same doubt films or no films?. Then I took my laptop and started applying to all film universities. I don’t know what it was but I’m glad I made that decision. But the only problem was making my family understand this decision.

Anyhow, I conquered the battle.

Contact Info:

• Website: nidhijarmanwalaatw.wixsite.com/onboard
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nidhi_jarmanwala/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nidhi-jarmanwala/

Image Credits
Abhilasha Nipun