it was a tough phase and decisionmaking was put on hold for the first four months eventually we persevered with a strong team and supportive partners we also had the pleasure of having majid majidi appreciate the film and join the cast overall it was a journey filled with challenges and learning experiencesproduction and acting are two distinct processes did the transition to becoming a producer surprise you especially since you come from an acting backgroundabsolutely producing and acting are like two different worlds the experience of producing the film was even more fascinating for me than directing it i had directed a short film before so i was familiar with that aspect however producing was an entirely different mindset and a unique world its the opposite of the creative process but it has its own joys and challenges as an actor i used to think that production was just a necessary task but that notion changed completely it is a creative space that requires constantly finding innovative solutions production is highly peopleintensive and you have to deal with realtime situations and unexpected requests you cant turn a blind eye when someone on your team asks for help even if its personal it was a humbling experience and i received support and love from unexpected sources people stepped up to help even though it wasnt a bigbudget film it made me appreciate the presence of such individuals its been a great joy to be part of the production processhow do you reflect on your acting career now that youve transitioned into being a director and producerits an interesting perspective because in becoming a director and producer ive developed a newfound respect for actors having been an actor myself i understand the challenges involved its not just about the business aspect the craft of acting requires emotional vulnerability and being consistently on point when i first shared my plans to produce with my family they found it amusing because i had never even organised a birthday party before they joked about needing an ambulance on set and making sure everyone had water it was quite a change but overall it has been a joyful experiencelooking back do you feel that youve grown as an individual through producing this filmyes i believe im finally coming into my own discovering who i am and what i want to be reflecting on my acting journey i realised something was missing and this role as a filmmaker feels like my ultimate calling whats interesting is that im entirely selftaught i didnt attend film school or work as an assistant however i spent a significant amount of time on sets learning the basics and observing various aspects like lensing and editing my instinct plays a significant role in my work moreover being an actor myself helps me understand the art of storytelling as actors are natural storytellers many successful filmmakers have an acting background and it makes a significant difference working with directors like ram gopal