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

Paras, 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?

Mostly, it’s the urge to create stuff on the page that has kept me going. The going is tough sometimes – not being aligned with the thoughts of everyone else on the team, the fickle nature of projects, etc.

A lot of these things happen at regular jobs too. At least with mine, I get to do what I do best, and expand as much as my body and mind can afford.

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 first set foot in the entertainment industry as a junior creative associate in a leading production house that was on top of their game at the time. It was great learning, but I really didn’t have a voice, or one could say that the voice I had was of little use to them – just a case of different orbits.

Then I went on to production assistance on talk shows, news segments and whatnot. My first, actual, serious, grown-up and legitimate screenwriting job was on the Indian Sesame Street show, which opened up a lot of doors over the years. I began to freelance on other narrative projects. I took a sabbatical to professionally study screenwriting at UCLA – it took a lot of unlearning and learning new methods, new processes… to finally understand that in some ways, I was still a beginner.

The COVID phase allowed me a lot of time to really fall in love with telling stories again, really chipping away at the truth and creating worlds. Since then, I have signed on a feature for a major studio banner in India. I’m also officially developing several other series and movies. I’m glad I am in a position to take some risks and explore new terrain with whatever skills I have.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I think it’s very important to recognize in your work, or in the projects that you choose as a creator: what is staple and pays the bills, versus the passion projects – the ones that will keep you in love with your career.

After years and years of doing commissioned screenwriting gigs to suit very specific needs for what were essentially businesses, I had to unlearn the ‘quick turnaround’ way of working, and really learn again how to build a story with attention, from the ground up, taking reasonable time, being patient in getting there. That’s what ultimately makes a story believable and worth spending time on.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

We must regard their experience and pay them adequately, stand up for their rights – it’s as simple as it sounds, but not as common to find as you’d think!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @theparaspost