During my studies at Arizona State University, one idea stayed with me: “The stories we tell ourselves about ourselves create a sense of who we are.” That perspective changed the way I thought about storytelling. A story isn’t simply something we tell others. It shapes how we understand ourselves, our experiences, and ultimately our identity.

My own story behind the camera began in Lahore, Pakistan. What started as a curiosity for cameras, visual effects, and editing quickly grew into a passion for filmmaking. I spent countless hours teaching myself new techniques, experimenting with independent projects, and collaborating with students and emerging creatives. Those early experiences eventually opened the door to commercial productions and a career in filmmaking.

After moving to New York, I began working with media and production companies, where I continued developing my craft across corporate productions, branded content, events, and post-production. These experiences helped me grow professionally while giving me the opportunity to work with different clients, crews, and stories.

But at heart, I’ve always been a filmmaker. Alongside my professional work, I continued investing in my own projects as a way to challenge myself creatively and tell stories that were personal to me. One of my first short films in the U.S. was The Merge, a science-fiction project that pushed me creatively and gave me the confidence to take on something more ambitious.

That experience eventually led me to self-fund and create Akelay Sath Mein, a web series centered on the immigrant experience. The series gave me the freedom to explore themes of identity, belonging, relationships, and what it means to build a life far from where you started.

Working across both professional productions and independent filmmaking has shaped the storyteller I am today. One has taught me how to communicate with purpose, collaborate, and deliver for an audience. The other continues to remind me why I picked up a camera in the first place: the love of filmmaking and the desire to tell meaningful stories.