Meet Neel Bakshi | Filmmaker, Producer, and Storyteller

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

Hi Neel, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in Mumbai, the heart of Bollywood, so in a way, film has been part of my life from the very beginning. But I grew up in Pune, a major metropolitan city just a few hours from Mumbai, in a large family unit with my parents, grandparents, paternal uncle, aunt, and my sister. It was a household filled with stories – some told through film, others through family history and cultural traditions.

When I was about six, my uncle’s side of the family moved to Cupertino. That meant I spent my summers in the U.S. I think that’s why I’ve always felt like I had one foot in India and one in the States –culturally, socially, and, most importantly, in how I viewed cinema. I noticed that India produces more films than any country, yet its stories rarely reached beyond its borders. Meanwhile, Hollywood had little South Asian representation, and when it did, the characters were stereotypes—the geek, the gas station clerk, the comic relief. That never sat right with me. India had an immense reservoir of stories, but they weren’t making it to the global stage. This realization was pivotal. If I wanted to change the narrative, I had to do it from within the industry that had the world’s attention. That’s why I chose to build my career here – to bring more nuanced, authentic South Asian storytelling to the forefront.

Beyond my career, my family has played a huge role in shaping who I am. My dad and uncle came from incredibly humble beginnings. My grandmother, despite not being able to finish her schooling, always believed in the power of education. She wanted more for her children, so in a remote village in India during the ‘70s and ‘80s – at a time when opportunities for women were scarce – she started knitting sweaters to earn extra income to fund their education. That kind of grit, ambition, and respect for lifelong learning was something she passed on to my dad and uncle, and in turn, my dad passed it down to me. I carry that same drive in everything I do. It’s why I push myself, why I embrace challenges, and why I believe that the stories we tell have the power to shape the world.

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.
I’m still at the start of my career, but even getting to this point hasn’t been easy. Film is an industry that thrives on rejection – it’s almost a rite of passage. I’ve faced my fair share of closed doors, moments of doubt, times when I questioned whether I belonged here at all. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that resilience is just as important as talent. Every ‘no’ taught me something. Every setback forced me to adapt. And every time I considered walking away, I reminded myself why I started in the first place.

Right now, most of my work is in commercials, but my vision extends far beyond that. I want to work on bigger projects, movies, TV shows – on stories that reach people on a deeper level. The industry is in flux right now, trying to figure out where it’s headed. In the middle of that uncertainty, independent artists, people with incredible stories to tell, are getting caught in the crossfire. I want to be someone who gives them a voice, who helps bring their stories to the people who need to hear them. Film and TV should be a more equitable space and I want to be someone who makes that happen. While that’s a big-picture goal, I believe success comes not just from knowing your vision but also being able to take it step by step.

At the end of the day, what I’m most proud of isn’t just the projects I’ve worked on – it’s the people I’ve met along the way. Film is one of the rare industries that demands true collaboration. It brings together artists from all walks of life, all working toward a singular vision. Few things can rival that kind of creative synergy. The people who give their time and effort to help bring your vision to life, those are the people who show you that your work matters. And as you grow, it’s just as important to make sure they grow too.

That’s what I want to be known for. I want my impact to be through the stories I tell AND, if I’m fortunate enough, the people I uplift along the way.

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?
I wouldn’t call myself much of a traveler, though I wish I did it more often. Work keeps me busy, so when I do go places, I usually rely on recommendations from my girlfriend or my roommates. But if my friends from India were visiting, I’d want to show them the places that feel like home to me; some mix of the Bay Area, Long Beach, LA, and maybe a little escape into nature.

We’d definitely grab sourdough from Boudin in SF (because it’s a classic) and then maybe take a road trip out to Yosemite. When the waterfalls are full, it’s one of the most breathtaking places on Earth. Plus, there’s this little Mexican spot in Groveland that makes the best Mango Mole. I always forget the name, but I’d know it when I see it. Down in LA, of course I’d have to take them behind the scenes – literally. Walking through the backlots of film studios is an experience you can’t really get anywhere else. Seeing the streets and buildings that have been transformed a hundred different ways for movies and TV shows is a reminder of how much of this industry is built on illusion. It never gets old.

Food would definitely be a big part of the trip. A late-night In-N-Out, Cane’s, or Dave’s Hot Chicken run is non-negotiable since those were college staples, so they’re basically tradition at this point. And I’d have to take them to Oho Sushi on PCH in Long Beach. It was right next to my dorms and it’s some of the best sushi I’ve had.

Maybe most important of all, I’d want to bring my friends from India and my friends from college together for a cabin retreat in Big Bear. It’s something we did in college and have been wanting to do again, and I think it’d be the perfect way for my two friend groups to meet and get to know each other. At the end of the day, I think the best part of the trip wouldn’t just be the places, but the feeling of it all. Good people, great food, and the chance to experience the contrast that makes California so special. City, mountains, snow, and ocean – all in the same trip. What’s not to love?

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?
If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that I wouldn’t be where I am today without my family. Their support, sacrifices, and unwavering belief in me are the foundation of everything I’ve built. Growing up in India, pursuing the arts wasn’t seen as a ‘real’ career. It was a hobby, something to be indulged in but never prioritized. Choosing this path meant not just going against societal expectations, but also asking my family to take a leap of faith with me. And they did – fearlessly.

I started out as a child actor. Every week, my mother took me to auditions and workshops, waiting outside for hours because this was before Uber; there was no easy way to get there and back. Her time, patience, and silent encouragement gave me the space to explore my passion.

But if there’s one person who has been the reason I’m still in film, it’s my father. He always wanted to be a creative himself, but his circumstances never allowed it. Instead, he made sure I had the opportunity he never did. There was a point when I was drowning in rejections, questioning if I should even continue. I was ready to walk away from film altogether. But my father never wavered—his belief in me never shook, even when mine did. And because he never lost faith, I found the strength to keep going.

So if I had to dedicate this shoutout to anyone, it would be to them. For their courage, their sacrifices, and for giving me the confidence to believe that the stories I want to tell deserve a place in the world.

Website: https://neelbakshi.myportfolio.com/neel-bakshi

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neelbakshi13/

Image Credits
Eliam Weinstock (https://ecweinstockphotography.com/)

Em Chen (https://www.emchen.info/)