Meet Nawneet Ranjan | Filmmaker & Change Maker

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

Hi Nawneet, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
The realm of creativity and making a change in the status quo is all about risk taking…be it any creative expression in the form of film, poetry, sculpture, dance or even a product or service…it’s all about risk taking…The history of human civilisation well showcases the possibilities of human endeavours by taking risk…

I think risk taking is at the core of my career and what I do. Whenever I have delved to develop any project be it a creative expression of theatre, films or social impact engagement, taking a risk is at the heart of that.

Risk challenges me…to learn, unlearn my way of doing things…To me, I feel like risk taking is complex because it’s all about perspective. I think you are taking a ‘risk’ by doing something, or taking a risk by not doing something (and perhaps missing out on that moment of truth). Either way there’s a risk…it just depends which risk you are willing to take. I completely enjoy the risk which comes with jumping into the realm of WHAT IF…

I feel that I am really fortunate to have developed a beginner’s mindset and faith that things will work out exactly as they’re meant to… So whenever, if there’s some calling in my heart, I take that Flight of Imagination and GO FOR IT!

I also constantly remind myself: no risk, no gain. Whenever I am feeling challenged or afraid of taking a leap of faith. It usually helps. Even if I fail in my attempt, I learn from it and move on…It helps me to stretch beyond my comfort zone…

Looking back, I recognise that risk taking has been a huge factor in my life and career. I wouldn’t be on the path I am today without walking into the unknown time and again, and choosing to sail across… The call to pursue my career in dramatics, filmmaking, and social impact was too strong for me to deny. I am so grateful for what I did. The joy and satisfaction that all WHAT IFS give me is heartwarming. All this gives me the courage to take newer risks…

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Being filmmaker, an artist, being in the creative realm itself is so satisfying for me that it brings me to NOW! It frees me, heals me first and when it resonates with people there is no joy like that…

The journey so far in being the field of arts and social impact has helped to grow and change inside out. I have myself very strongly experienced how stories heals and gives hope to continue the path of self-discovery and expression. I’m just an average person, but if I can have such a profound journey of healing through creativity – so can you. All this gives courage to get to face our fears, shadows in the alleys of our consciousness and sub consciousness. It helps to move on to find balance and create with mindful joy…

This path has definitely not been a cake walk, and honestly continues to be quite challenging, but I don’t think I would have it any other way.

My short documentary titled Dharavi Diary travelled in several top film festivals of the world. The short fiction titled Dilemma also travelled in couple of film festivals. After that, I made a documentary titled Slum Innovation which made to the Student Academy Award Semi-final rounds. Along with my filmmaking, I started doing lot of social impact programs in the US & India. I started a social impact program in lower income communities called Dharavi Diary (Gyanoday Foundation) in India where we use story and technology for first generation school goers for the betterment of their experiential STEAM learning and leadership skills to find better livelihood and become a change maker.
The journey from these social impact programs to making my first feature film titled Kora Kagazz (Tabula Rasa) has been very challenging and satisfying too. I learnt about self and the economics of how pop-culture or commercial filmmaking works. Kora Kagazz (Tabula Rasa) will be participating in Cinequest Film Festival, USA, in August, 2023 in the bay area.

I am grateful to everyone and the universe which helped to make all this possible. This is just the start as there are many future projects to be made. In doing all this, I have learnt to shut out the noise and the doubters and to just stay in love with what I do and keep doing it, no matter what.

I am developing stories set in Indian sub-continent, stories of Indian diaspora set in the US and many more creative expressions to engage for mindful entertainment to make better choices for everyone on this planet and beyond. I mentor new comers in whatever capacity I can, I write, produce, perform a little bit. The scripts being developed will get global theatrical and streaming platforms release in the coming times.

As there is something called persistence of vision in films which gives us a sense of motion while watching films, I think for me the mantra is persistence of mission…Think of the bigger picture…Self-doubt, discouragement etc will come up but always look at your mission…get-up, learn, unlearn and move on…reinvent, evolve, change for the betterment.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
LA is one of best example of the cosmopolitan culture…diversity in terms of cultural expression, food habits, architecture…There are many must visit in LA: One is the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, The Self Realisation Fellowship at Lake Shrine, hanging out in Malibu and Zuma. Malibu has a very interesting energy out there and has always has a mystical and spiritual vibe. Visit the Malibu Hindu Temple, Vedanta Society, it has an ethereal experience in itself.

Tour downtown and check out the gorgeous architecture, hike any number of incredible trails, visit Griffith’s observatory, head over to the historic Larry Edmunds Bookshop on Hollywood Boulevard where they have amazing selection of books, scripts, posters, photos…walk down the Hollywood Blvd, the Chinese Theatre, out for a walk on Hollywood to see the stars in the sidewalk and visit the touristy stores.

– Go for picnic in any park like Elysian, Griffith

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I don’t know from where to start…I am lucky to have such a wonderful support system. I give credit to having supportive people in my life -being supported has allowed me to take the risks I have in my life to continue on this path and strive for more, because I know when I fall there are people to catch me. My family has been my greatest foundation – they’ve definitely supported me and challenged me at the same time. I am grateful to my parents, my brother, sister and their families, my friends, professors, strangers, foes….All of them have helped me to learn and unlearn in some form or the other…

And as always, my parents. I’m sure they had hopes and dreams for their kid, like most parents do, it was difficult for them in the beginning but they adapted to what I turned out to be. Coming from a family of professionals in academics, teaching, doctors, engineers, it was difficult for them to mentor me but they tried their best to be there with me. I’m nothing without family, and I am blessed with a wonderful one.

The luckiest thing that has happened in my life is having few friends with the same fundamental views. They’d understand what kind of dreams I’m chasing after; they’d support me, try to watch every work; they’d sit with me and figure out how to achieve my goals with me. It’s my friends who made me believe that I’m someone worthy of dreams, and I’d give the same support and love to them.

In this journey so far of learning, unlearning, celebrations, trials and tribulations, I’d like to mention myself a little. During the process from discovering the dreams to chasing them, I found the bigger picture, my calling…passion and purpose and of course there are many setbacks during which I have managed to maintain sincerity, integrity, respect my profession, resilience and never stopped learning. There is a long way to go, and a lot of room to improve my work in progress human entity…

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/story4change/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nawniit-ranjen-55866011/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nawniit_Ranjen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nawniitranjen

Other: https://www.facebook.com/sluminnovation Here are few links of the initiative – https://www.facebook.com/ajplusenglish/videos/754062224735287 https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/aug/30/girls-india-learn-app-coding-navigate-way-out-mumbai-slum http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/dharavi-girls-india-apps_us_5730f3b0e4b016f37896b547 https://youtu.be/BkaBm8czZS8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgSug-wcOCY TedxGateway: https://youtu.be/qmwlsOGLE_Q http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-mobile-vans-to-educate-less-privileged-students-2583421 http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/an-innovation-lab-by-kids-in-the-middle-of-a-slum/article17914589.ece 3C’s of Hope: https://youtu.be/1I-Ms_mK2X4 STEAM Fest: https://youtu.be/hcuruiDQFfU

Image Credits
Mingle ‘n Jingle Films (Malti Edutainment Private Limited)