We were lucky to catch up with Prarthana Joshi recently and have shared our conversation below.

Prarthana, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I grew up in India, surrounded by a family deeply immersed in a love for music and art. My great grandfather, a Hindu preacher, journeyed from one small village to another, weaving tales of morality and introspection. As a child, I yearned to sing like my family, but fate had dealt me a different hand—I lacked a single musical bone, a reality that continues to tug at my heartstrings.

Undeterred, I embraced Indian classical Kathak dancing, where stories and narratives breathe life into performances. I leaped into Kathak ballets and high school competitions, relishing these moments amidst my other passions—painting, drawing, and an oddly satisfying fascination with geometry.

As the years unfolded, my bond with painting and art strengthened, guiding me to a pivotal decision—I would become an architect. This marked the beginning of my artistic journey. Within the walls of my architecture school in India, I encountered remarkable professors who urged me to break free from conventional thinking, encouraging exploration of limitless possibilities. It was as if I had sprouted wings; my journey took flight.

Through much of my youth, I meandered without a clear purpose, until architectural education unraveled the artist within. My thesis project, the Museum of Indian Cinema, led me to a film set for the first time. Everything fell into place—I felt a sense of purpose and discovered my tribe. That was a decade and a half ago.

Some things, it seems, are ingrained in your blood. Like my great grandfather, I am a storyteller—a role that has become an integral part of who I am.

Prarthana, 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?

Embarking on my filmmaking journey, I had no inkling of the incredible places it would lead me. Starting out as an assistant director in India, I simultaneously delved into directing my own small-scale projects and documentaries. Learning from my mistakes became my impromptu classroom, and my parents, recognizing my passion, encouraged me to pursue further education. I landed in Los Angeles for a master’s in filmmaking in 2011.

Post-graduation, my journey through the industry was both thrilling and challenging. I worked my way up from a production coordinator to a producer. Despite the demands of this role, I never abandoned my roots—I continued to direct, write, and develop my own projects. Drawing on my background in architecture and design, I seamlessly transitioned into the realms of set design and art direction.

Some recent credits include being a Producer on America’s Got Talent, Season 18, and an Art Director on the feature film ‘Manodrome’ with Jesse Eisenberg and Adrien Brody. I’ve also worked on a feature film directed by Anthony Lucero, wearing hats as a First Assistant Director and Co-producer. Last year, my co-written feature film with Matt Gengle made it to the top three in the Final Draft Screenplay Competition.

The journey continues, and with each project, I find new facets of creativity and challenges to explore and conquer.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Being an artist is a lifestyle—it’s a perpetual commitment. You’re never really off the clock. For me, the essence of living as an artist lies not just in the act of creation, which is only a fraction of the whole picture, but in the continuous process of learning and seeking inspiration.

It’s akin to being an anthropologist, always observing, trying to decipher society and people, viewing the world through a different lens. Artists are perpetual questioners of social and political norms, often indulging in the delightful but ambitious, somewhat romantic act of daydreaming—hoping that a simple story might hold the key to solving the world’s problems. It involves an ongoing internal dialogue, a relentless debate with oneself.

This journey includes a mix of reading, researching, meeting people, and traversing different places. Much of it might seem intangible, with no immediate, tangible outcomes. Yet, there comes a day when everything falls into place. The countless hours of wandering, the constant exploration, seamlessly weave into a story or project. That, to me, is the most gratifying aspect of the artistic process.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

The thriving or struggling state of artists in society mirrors the society itself. For an artist to truly flourish, they must share their views and ideas with the world, and the world, in turn, must pause to contemplate them. However, in today’s fast-paced ecosystem marked by quick results and short attention spans, there’s a melancholic shift towards trends rather than genuine conversations around the art.

Movies and books are often judged swiftly, with star ratings guiding our decisions on whether they are worth our time. The abundance of content sometimes makes it challenging to find pieces that genuinely resonate with us, leading to the incorporation of generic art into our lives and onto our walls—art that lacks statement or true meaning.

To authentically support art and artists, the first step is to be conscious of every choice we make and the art we consume. Is this art meaningful to me?

Here are some tangible ways to support artists:

•Purchase and Consume Meaningful Art: Buy art that holds meaning for you. Take a moment to appreciate or critique it without being swayed by reviews. Form your own opinion.

•Reject Mediocrity: Resist accepting mediocre and derivative art just because it’s free or cheap.

•Consider the True Value: When evaluating the price of an art piece, consider the time, materials, and resources the artist invested in creating it.

•Share and Discuss: If buying art isn’t feasible, share and discuss it with friends. Consider sending the artist a note expressing your thoughts.

By adopting these practices, we can contribute to a more nurturing environment for artists and foster a deeper appreciation for meaningful, thought-provoking art.

Contact Info:

• Website: prarthanajoshi.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prarthanajoshi
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoshiPrarthana
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prarthanajoshi

Image Credits
All photos are mostly taken by me.