Meet Navik Nanubhai

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Navik Nanubhai. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Navik below.

Hi Navik, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

When I was young, my parents would often share memories of what it was like growing up in the Fiji Islands. While many outsiders view Fiji as a paradise—and while it certainly can be for those fortunate enough to live there—it wasn’t the full story for everyone, my parents included.

From a young age, my mum and dad both worked after school and during school holidays to help their families make ends meet. Years later, they moved to the U.S. in pursuit of greater career opportunities and financial stability as they raised my sister and me. The way they told these stories was so visceral that it allowed me to understand how their upbringing instilled in them a strong dedication to hard work, balancing family commitments, and creating opportunities for themselves.

When I reflect on why I work the way I do, I realize it’s because of my parents and the unwavering support they’ve always shown for my creative pursuits. One might assume that parents with a background like theirs would encourage a more stable career path. But instead, they wanted me to follow what truly spoke to me—something they never had the chance to do themselves. That is a gift I hold with deep gratitude.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I recently began identifying my role in life as an explorer because of my love for traveling, gaining different perspectives and meeting new people. I also feel it aligns perfectly with my roles as a filmmaker and photographer. All of these pursuits involve a deep curiosity and a drive to uncover, share, and create stories.

For me, exploring is an incredibly fulfilling endeavor, and bringing a camera along to share my experiences or someone else’s makes it even better. Most of the time, when I’m directing or operating the camera on any given project, I don’t feel like I’m working. Instead, I feel like I’m exploring and learning—whether through what I see through the lens or from those exploring alongside me.

The exploration doesn’t stop when the filming wraps. Then comes the process of formulating a narrative or structure in the edit and breathing life into it with the color grade. That final stage inspires me to repeat the entire journey all over again.

In the past few years, I’ve been fortunate to connect with incredible individuals who became mentors and helped my career evolve to new heights. Thanks to their guidance, I recently launched my venture, Drua Pictures, with the mission to educate, inspire, and entertain. So far, we’ve worked on filming and creating behind-the-scenes videos, educational and promotional content, documentaries, and spotlights on remarkable individuals who are inspiring role models or driving positive change in the world. Right now, we are primarily based in Southern California, but our goal is to take our mission anywhere in the world.

“Drua” (pronounced DROO-ah) is a traditional sailing vessel crafted by the indigenous people of Fiji. The community effort and natural materials that go into constructing a Drua make it a symbol of integrity and unity while serving as a facilitator for journeys across the sea. Filmmaking, in many ways, is similar—it requires a community and resources and facilitates a journey, both in the process of creation and when the finished product is viewed by others.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The biggest one for me is being open to learning and picking up a range of skills. I’ve been on projects where I’ve had to record sound, do VFX, and mix and design audio. None of this was part of my original plan—I just did it to learn and better equip myself for future endeavors. Am I a master at these things? Not even close. But having that extra knowledge has been the difference between making or breaking a project—or even securing a new gig.

I also highly recommend following up with people you connect with, especially if you believe you can offer them something of value. Sometimes, a follow-up alone doesn’t spark their interest. In those cases, if you genuinely feel it could be a meaningful collaboration, offer to support them without any expectation of something in return. It doesn’t have to be a large commitment—just enough to demonstrate the value you provide and give them confidence in your ability to help. This approach has helped me countless times to secure bigger projects, receive referrals, and experience profoundly career-changing moments. It has also connected me with some of the greatest mentors I could ask for and led me to work with my favorite companies in this industry.

For as long as I can remember, selflessness and kindness have been two traits I’ve seen my parents carry with them everywhere they go—whether by supporting family and friends or even people they’ve just met. It’s a quality I admire most and have been deeply inspired by. Whenever I’ve operated from a place of selflessness and kindness, good things have happened—often in tenfold. So, if there’s one last thing: be kind and support others, because that’s what this world needs more of.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Lately, I have been on the lookout for video editors with experience cutting mini-docs and engaging vertical content.

If you align with what I’ve mentioned so far, please reach out! Even if you are not a video editor, don’t hesitate to drop us a note and share a bit about yourself and what you do!

I’m always open to working with new people, who are passionate about creating!

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