Meet Shreya Thosar

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shreya Thosar a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Shreya, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

It came from years of numbly existing in this dark web of reality where all life events, all relationships seemed fake, fraudulent and superficial. I looked at it internally as another being who is far far away from this so called normal world waiting to go on stage, control the lights, the camera, the sound, the air of this world that I have created which is a gimmick of this so called normal real world but is better, is honest, is open and vulnerable, It is intense and powerful, it is everything you let go of in your real life to be cool to be easy going to be around people to be liked. I wanted to go beyond these small talks and the fraud, evil, jealous people that hide everything under the face of civilization and pretend to be someone else. I wanted to find that field where it was beyond right or wrong, everything was just very intense, passionate, raw and open without any boundaries. Without any facade of being “civil”. I found that ground in art, storytelling, theatre and cinema.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

What I am focusing on professionally is to grow as an Artist.
I want to make films, I want to direct them, I want to shoot them myself, I want to write them. I have written over 15 Short films, I have 3 features lined up and about 2 web shows ready to pitch in. I have several comic sketches ready to perform and a tight 10 minutes set for a stand up comedy show.
These all things might look varied to you, you might ask what is it you exactly do?
I tell stories, I can make you cry while telling them or laugh, that depends on me primarily, then the crowd I am performing for and the tone that we want to set. The message, the message that I want to give too.
I am focusing on that. I am looking for any sort of jobs for the sake of money, but in order for me to survive I need to take care of the Artist within, or I am nothing. I am meaningless. Without a purpose. That Artist in me has something to say, Let it express please. Give it a chance. It deserves it.

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?

I came here with no experience in my bag. All I had was a fresh lens to look at the world, the will to learn and the guts to express, to be vulnerable and yet entertain, I think I survived because of that.
Be honest. In any field you. go be honest, Thats the only way you will connect with other people.
You might be liked for it or would be hated, Have the guts to be yourself despite the reaction you get. This will then translate into your longitivtiy in this industry or any other. Any sort of pretense is temporary. So be honest.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

When your survival is in question, do you still chose to be yourself as an Artist – intense, open, controversial, opinionated? or you succumb into slavery to please anyone and everyone for work and Money?
I am trying to step on both these boats conveniently, one boat that keeps sure I am alive, I am still who I am and the other boat that feeds me when I am hungry. I am still finding the balance on both these boats making sure we are still swimming and not sinking.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Kushagra Jain and Shreya Thosar

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