Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shruti Tewari. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Shruti, thanks for joining us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

As an actor on the golden side of the mysterious line dividing lead and character roles, I am amazed at the number of scripts relying on villainizing the parental generations. The older demographic amongst Asians, and South Asians in particular, is remarkably reduced to stock characterizations that exist in scripts solely for the purpose of impeding next generation dreams. Sadly, these stereotypical portrayals have led to increased alienation of the parental generation amongst immigrant communities. In researching for a short script I’ve written to promote intermingling between generations, I have met countless women who despite having had meritorious careers through their lifetimes, have been relegated to the stature of clueless old-timers with archaic views and acute cultural disparities. My hope is to see more projects with a sensitive understanding of this demographic that acknowledge the foundation built by these immigrant parents for their first generation offsprings.

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

My journey began with, and is sustained by, self-belief. There is no one neat box or a set of adjectives that could justifiably be used to describe me, or my pursuits. As an immigrant from India, a grad-student at Columbia University, an investment banker on Wall Street, a startup executive in Silicon Valley, a mentor in juvenile halls, an actor in Hollywood and now a screenwriter & indie filmmaker, my lived experiences span the gamut. Today, I am in a position to draw from each of these experiences in becoming a meaningful voice for immigrant women and in sharing immigrant perspectives in all my narratives.

So I call myself a multi-hyphenate, some by choice, some by circumstances, but always with an undying belief that if I tried, I just might find the right allies and collaborators to help me manifest my creative vision. Each one of us has had to ponder the question of how do we identify ourselves – and that is where the rigidity of life choices begins. The first and foremost thing I would want people to know about me is that I am more than a mere title. As an indie filmmaker, with three award-winning short films and two features in development; as a screenwriter, with several features and a pilot that have placed in numerous competitions including the Austin Film Festival, WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Lab and Big Break; and as an actor with over thirty credits including award-winning Indies as well as a Bollywood blockbuster, I do whatever is needed to strengthen the representation of women like me on our screens.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Last year, I was developing a short film in the Women of Color Filmmakers Lab. I had won a grant from the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and was fiscally sponsored to raise additional funds. A major portion of these funds were used to pay for my four day shoot spread over Los Angeles and the Bay Area. A month after production had wrapped, I was informed that my post production support had fallen through. I felt defeated, and feared not being able to complete the film in time for the Lab showcase, or at all.

I gave myself a day to get over the stumble and without knowing how to take the next step, I took the next step. I scoured the internet for upcoming grant opportunities, for any other potential sources of funding, for any glimmer of hope. My decision to keep going was all it took for me to find the right opportunity. My previous short film was to play at a Bay Area film festival and they offered the participating filmmakers an opportunity to pitch their next projects, with a meaningful cash incentive attached to it.

I submitted my brief and was selected to pitch in front of a notable jury made up of established writers and producers from Hollywood. I had never done a live pitch for a film before. But then again, I had never worked on Wall Street before, until I did; and had never birthed a human before, until I did. This was a first that I just had to go through, so I could look me in the eye later and know that I had left no stone unturned. The pitch took place in a historic courthouse that had appeared in the iconic film “Mrs. Doubtfire” with a couple of Oscar-winning actors having walked the same halls. No, I wasn’t intimidated. This was my time to share the reasons for telling my story about suppressed trauma in immigrant women, and my narrative was my driving force. This story needed to be told. This film needed to be finished.

It was as if the universe was conspiring to get me to the finish line. I won second place in the pitchfest and the support of two of the judges, who each put in their own money to help me get closer to my goal. The film has garnered several laurels and a few awards since then, and was screened at the Big Apple Film Festival in May. I remain grateful for all the external support and for my internal drive that has kept me going.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Our society can support a thriving art ecosystem by creating accessible pathways to funding for individual artists, of all ages. The amount of time and effort one spends on identifying and pursuing sources of funding needs to be addressed. Two years ago, I was fortunate to be invited to the Toronto International Film Festival as part of their emerging artists initiative. I learned about numerous government-backed programs available to Canadian nationals for their film projects. It would be wonderful to find similar support in the US as well. Moreover, when it comes to minority voices in the arts, there are even fewer opportunities, starkly disproportionate to the number of artists seeking support. An artist ecosystem devoid of voices representing all segments of our social fabric, simply will not thrive. Age inclusion in media remains a key factor towards creating a framework for the arts to have any meaningful impact on our society.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shrutitewari.com
• Instagram: @shruti_tewari
• Facebook: @ShrutiTewariOfficial
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shrutitewarifilm/
• Twitter: @shrutitewari