Meet Arun Vir | Writer | Director | Producer Mother, Partner | Dreamer-Doer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Arun Vir and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Arun, how do you think about risk?
I am middle child of North Indian farming immigrants. When I was born, my parents gave me a boys’ name… Arun. The story goes that my brother died tragically at a young age in India, my mother became pregnant soon after… with me. My parents thought I was my brother’s reincarnation and so they named me Arun before I was born. Well, the rest is history ~ I emerged as a girl, soon to be known as the rebel child. Risk taking was my brand. In my teens I wrote short stories in secret and I knew I would leave the small English town that I had grown up in just as soon as I could conjure up the courage. So, one night, I walked into my father’s room, and announced that I would be leaving for London to pursue my dreams to be a writer. This was met with the threat of violence; I recall being told that I would not get far… but in the end, I somehow managed to walk away, and never look back. My parents did not support my decision and we rarely stayed in touch. After working in London for a prominent TV studio, my parents eventually visited and we began talking again. Shortly after that, I would eventually would meet my daughter’s father, an African American Jazz music manager from New York City. I moved to NYC, upsetting my parents once again. This time they objected to my inter-racial marriage. In NYC, I was in culture-shock… I had always been intrigued with NYC with its grittiness but little did I know that I was about to experience the most challenging years of my life. Shortly after I became pregnant with my daughter, Salma, my relationship ended and I was literally a single mother, with no financial support and no home. My parents had already ostracized me from the family and so I had very little communication with members of my family.
During this time, I faced a difficult decision… to leave the US and go back home to my former life in London, or find the courage and stay in NYC. I decided to stay. Feeling the pressure, I literally secured a job (one that would change the course of my journey in filmmaking), and moved into our small apartment in Manhattan by the time my daughter turned 1 years old. This moment was transforming. I proved to myself I could do it. I raised my daughter, at times working 3 jobs, waiter, PA, bar tending… and continued to pursue my dreams of being a writer. While I made a pay check I developed a feature with an indie director and produced my first feature film for under $20k. My daughter spent her time on the set with me. I became part of a writers’ collective called The Nuyorican Poets Café, as a reader. I began reading and curating scripts to live audiences. The Nuyorican inspired me to find my voice and I began writing.
I submitted my script to the directing workshop for women program for emerging female directors, in Los Angeles. I made the cut and later became recipient of the award. This meant that I literally had a few weeks to pack my bags and travel to Los Angeles. Two weeks before I was to leave for LA, my parents emerged. they suddenly appeared in NYC for a visit and met my daughter (now 8 years old) for the first time. By some higher power, they ended up coming to LA with me and my daughter where I would direct my first film.
I firmly believe that life cannot move forward in your design without any form of risk-taking. I am complete proof of that and I rely on my own life experiences as a constant reminder that anything is possible as long as you are willing to take risks!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My love affair with storytelling began in New York City, producing film and TV workshops at Film/Video Arts. During this period, I was a single mom, raising my black mixed-race daughter to the chagrin of my traditional parents. We never spoke for almost 10 years.
Juggling multiple jobs—bartending, working as a PA, I served as a committee member for Fifth Night at the renowned Nuyorican Poets Café—a vibrant creative community. The café, founded by poet Miguel Algarín in 1973, was a lively hub where emerging talents like Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, and John Leguizamo performed. Curating staged readings for packed audiences inspired me deeply and fueled my passion for storytelling.
Throughout my journey as a writer and director, my stories delve into the complexities of human behavior, what makes us messy, unconventional, interpersonal. I love to focus on the nuances or evolution of personal growth, identity, or cultural reconciliation. For instance, “RESET”, a deeply personal narrative about addiction and recovery, is told through the eyes of a mixed-race, Black/South Asian teen, capturing the raw and often turbulent path to healing that is often taboo within our communities.
My screenplay “The Last Weekend” explored the dynamics of a failed marriage and the effects it bears on their only child. My earlier writing includes “UNFINISHED,” a story about reconciliation between a South-Asian daughter and her African American father, exploring miscegenation and modern identity. My experiences as a single mom are reflected in my current movie, RIVER MAMMA depicting the challenges of a transgender mother fighting to maintain a bond between her and her son. See Trailer: https://vimeo.com/953239766.
As a storyteller, I am always seeking out stories about our struggle for identity, freedom and love amidst impossible circumstances and environments – reminding us of our shared humanity.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Whenever friends visit I am usually encouraging them to take drives.
1. Drive the Pacfic Coast Highway upto Malibu for amazing sights.
2. Geoffrey Restaurant sits on the Cliffs.
3. We love our neighborhood restaurants in Eagle Rock, Blairs, Bubs and Grandmas, The Wife and The Somm Owners, Chris and Chrissy (are friends of ours who dreamed their dream of opening a restaurant while working with my husband, Willie in the movie business.
4. A spot noone really knows about in Eagle Rock is The Forest Lawn Cemetery, once you arrive at the top, the Gallery is amazing, with changing exhibits. Even if you’re not a believer, the Resurrection exhibit is incredible, and the 360 views are impressive.
5. The Broad Museum, currently showing black artist, Mickalene Thomas installation
6. We love hanging at Alcove in Los Feliz for cocktails, bar food.. amazing atmosphere…
7. For fine dining, we love Parkway Grill, Pasadena
8. In Eagle Rock, Vidiots Theater, an independent community movie theater screening some of our most beloved films, with special guests and speakers guests. I recentlty went to a restored film screening there of Double Indemnity.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My children, Salma Vir, Shailen Dawkins, two of the most tanaciously interesting people I know…
My beautiful husband, Willie E. Dawkins for his unwavering love and encouragement. Willie and I met on my DWW film, The Last Weekend, starring the Late Suzzanne Douglas. Willie is a talented writer, filmmaker (from whom I’ve learned a lot) and sparring partner. We are a fierce team!
Love and Peace to my extended family, though we lost some time along the way, we can still make up for it… Life is amazing and precious.
AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women program, Los Angeles
The late Rodger Larson, founder New Filmmakers Foundation- gave me my first opportunity.
Thanks to my BIG UP sistas everywhere… they know who they are!

Deeply Inspired by:
Music of the Great Bob Marley, thank you for changing my life!
Buchi Emecheta, nigerian female author, who books I read as a pre-teen about life in a small village.
James Baldwin’s – Notes of a Native Son
Muhammad Ali’s – Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee
Bollywood Movies, Mother India
Satyajit Ray – The World of Apu
Maya Angelou – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Deepa Methta – Heaven and Earth
Spike Lee – Malcolm X

Website: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm0899288?s=2ec89f05-cf9f-2ebb-3ddf-54e8323cf125&site_preference=normal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arunkvir/

Image Credits
Jennifer Stuart, Set Photographer – a few…