Meet Rishav Raman | Writer and Filmmaker

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

Hi Rishav, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?

My philosophy in this regard is about always only doing things that matters to me. So that even if no one else cares about it, it’s alright. I obviously, have big dreams about being successful and wanting people to react to my work positively. However even if I ‘fail’, and it may be tempting to give up, I don’t think I ever will. Because at the end of the day, the most important reason for doing what I do, is for myself and I don’t think I will ever grow tired of my passion. So, in short, I will keep going, till I continue finding joy in what I do.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I truly believe I found my calling by good luck. I joined my school’s annual theatre production, that served as an important turning point in my life. From a somewhat directionless past in terms of what I wanted to do, being a part of this amazing, creative venture, with like-minded people, made me realize I love telling and being part of stories, irrespective of the medium. I got into films, because, it has this alluring quality wherein you get to tell stories to an audience around the world. I have made five short films, and seek to continue to making more, and hopefully soon venturing into writing and directing feature films. I also dabble with acting a bit, having acted in a commercial for Snapchat recently.
Though a lot of people see films as entertainment, for me, it is a chance to express my personality that I hope connects on a collective/universal level. The most important lesson I have learnt in this short yet fruitful journey, is to be in it for the right reasons. If you are, then the difficult moments become easier to handle, and your self-belief will never deter.

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 was just thinking about this recently, cause a friend was visiting, haha!
I would firstly take them to Downtown Culver City, which I think is an underrated spot in LA. There, I guess, we would just walk around, eat amazing south Indian food at Mayura, and then take the bus to Venice Beach.
If they indicated they liked beaches, I would also take them to Long Beach, which whenever I visit, feels like a completely different world to LA.
Then, I definitely would take them to see the architecture of Pasadena, which I again, think is a beautiful place just to walk around. In case, they wanted to go to either Universal Studios or DisneyWorld, I’d definitely, take them there as well.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shoutout my family and close friends, for always believing in me and giving me positive support, that serves as a guiding light in the ups and downs of life. I especially, am grateful for them never doubting my dreams or questioning my talent. I also want to shoutout the people who came together to help realize my dream in making a short film called Dream Door that I’m extremely proud of, not just for the work, but the experience of making a film together with friends.

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

Image Credits
Anushri Eswaran
Jagruti Savant
Sriram Nivas Thangaraj
Jordan Diomande
Em Chen