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

Hi Kunal, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
That’s super interesting! Risk has always been the name of the game when it comes to my professional development. I was originally a science student and I decided to leave that and join the world of film. It was a huge risk, of course, but it needed to be taken if I wanted to grow and express myself in the best way I could.

Risk can mean failure but it can also mean exponential growth.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Trying to figure out what you have to say in your art is the hardest part of the job. I still don’t fully know what that is and maybe that is a lifelong journey of figuring it out. Partly, I think it’s difficult also because it changes in the same way life changes as you get older. What you have to say emotionally and professionally are one and the same. This is of course where things get complicated. How do you remain and have the same thing to say professionally when you are changing emotionally? Does that make sense? I think it does to me and that’s how I look at my work and writing. I must write and express my emotional state because I don’t think I will ever get to again. I (and you) will be exactly who they are only once. I have learned that you have to bottle up what you are feeling and express it in your art and story or one of two things happen- you either get stuck in your emotional state and are unable to grow OR you grow and lose that emotional state and thus the truth in your art. Maybe all of that is a very meandering way to just say that you have to be truthful with yourself and be kind to where you are in life. This is how you get excited about the stories you tell and how you are able to tell new stories and change your brand over time.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love this question because I have NO CLUE how you could possibly manage to see all the great things in L.A. But I will try anyway!

I would insist my best friend (if we are shouting out people, I will shout out Anish Jadav, future doctor, cool guy) arrive on a Friday.

FRIDAY:

– Spend 2 hours trying to get to LAX and back.
– Grand Central Market and The Last Bookstore.
– Catch an IMAX movie at TCL.

SATURDAY

– Morning trip to the Santa Monica Pier.
– Universal Studios tour.
– Drinks at E.P & L.P. in WeHo.
– Tacos at Mi Ranchito Veracruz.

SUNDAY

– Early morning hike to Griffiths
– Afternoon trip to the Getty Museum.
– Dinner at Lala’s Argentine Grill.

MONDAY
– Spend 2 hours trying to get to LAX and back.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my girlfriend, Guinevere Thomas, a fantastic director and writer who continues to inspire me every day. Sure, you might say that I’m using this platform to get some brownie points for Valentine’s Day and you would be RIGHT but her effect on my life has been hard to put into words. Coming to LA for the first time, I was absolutely terrified (and still am) but the people I met here were the reason I settled and was able to get through my time at AFI. One of these people was Guinevere who soon turned into my best friend and asking her to be my girlfriend was easily one of my best decisions, and I don’t make many good ones.

Often I think when people ask me who has influenced my stories and got me where I am and the answer is simple- it’s my family. But sometimes you can feel a person becoming that influence in real time. Someone who you can point to years down the line and say “oh ofcourse they are a huge influence on me”. And for me, that’s Guinevere. She’s been a mentor, a friend and everything in between.

Website: https://kunalsen2008.wixsite.com/mysite

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kunalthespicynoodle/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kunal-sengupta-5bb775165/

Image Credits
– Ilayda Cetinkaya – Deaniera Wibisono

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