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

Nirvan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us 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 am happy as a creative! I have never doubted that this is the right choice for me and I only feel more secure as time goes on. However, I admire the way people with more traditional jobs find meaning in their lives without having to make their passion their profession. From an outsider perspective, there often seems to be a healthy boundary between work and life: people have families, they have hobbies and everything they do isn’t necessarily something they use to promote their brand. At this point in my career, I am trying to find spaces and relationships where I am not “a creative”, but simply a friend, or a coworker. These identities feel healthy and comforting and I like the feeling of being human first and foremost.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

The Lord of the Rings movies changed my life at the age of 8. I realized then I wanted to be an actor. The heartfelt and lived-in performances, coupled with the cinematography and score, had me mesmerized. The trilogy inspired me to make films in my basement and the outdoors while growing up in Wisconsin, get involved in musical theater in high school, and study acting at the University of Southern California (USC). Today, I feel fortunate that in-spite of the many bumps our industry has faced, I have acted in prominent roles in three features: the quirky comedy, Four Samosas, currently streaming on Hulu, a 2024 Bollywood film directed by Shoojit Sircar and the last is an entertaining family drama called Curry Scent. I’ve also found a way to bring my comedic side out when performing with my Improv Troupe, The Pasadonuts. What sets me apart is that, as a performer, whether on set or on stage, I never stop digging for depth. I always reach to the bottom of my soul for something true, so that my character becomes as real as possible. I strive to perform with honesty, originality, and universality. This is true of me in life as well. I am a curious person and always aspire to be real with people.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being an artist is getting to work with other creatives. I love seeing what makes others creatively come alive because I believe I am seeing them as their most authentic self. Being on set or in a Theater, you have to bring your authentic self, your playful child and be unguarded a lot of the time. Very few people stay in this industry for reasons other than they believe in this work, therefore if you work long enough and at high caliber, you’re working with people who are bringing their truest selves.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Something I continue to unlearn is not being up front about what I want. My South Asian upbringing, with the best intentions, somewhat encouraged not being assertive, and hoping that your aspirations will be known if you work diligently. In college, I had the chance to have a private audience with a big name director in their home. I naively thought this director would meet me, and know that I wanted to work with them in their next project. However as our meeting progressed, they kept asking me why I was there. At that moment, I was too shy to directly say “I’d like to work with you.” The meeting didn’t result in anything concrete. I’ve learned that you have to be explicit, and that hiding your intentions can lead to missed opportunities. I still sometimes feel hesitant to ask for what I want – one feels vulnerable. But it’s better to put yourself out there, than hide and hope for the best.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: nirv4321, Nirvan Patnaik
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirvanpatnaik
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nirvanpatnaik90

Image Credits
Deirdre Fahey Photography – Headshot Akash Raj – Bts of Mustache photo Fransua Durazo – Stage Photo with two People BADA – Group Play Photo Ryan Miller – Two person shot with mikes