Behind the Lens: A Journey of Rediscovery with 'Qaid'

Growing up, my dad never wanted me to make my career as an artist. Being an artist himself, he knew the struggles in India. So, he preferred conventional jobs. Moreover, I was also a confused child. Many of my friends were pursuing engineering, so I did the same. During college, I became interested in photography and did it just for fun.

After engineering, I joined an IT company and did the job for around five years. Those five years were boring. Photography and films were my only escapes. So, I quit and took a one-year course in cinematography. After completing the course, I joined One Digital Entertainment as a cinematographer. It gave me vast experience and the opportunity to work with some of the leading YouTubers in India, like Bhuvan Bam, Prajakta Koli, Carry Minati, etc.

The job was ok. However, I always wanted to make a film but was lazy. Thanks to my wife and manager for pushing me and helping me materialise ‘Qaid’, my first short film. Qaid is about a young woman stuck alone in a rented flat during the COVID-19 lockdown. Apart from dealing with the pandemic anxiety, she also has to tackle her sudden job layoff, her parent’s medical requirements and more!

The things around me have inspired the film. You know, the unnecessary stigma of job layoff, the struggle to get a job and the fight of dealing with mental health problems. COVID-19 lockdown is probably one of the biggest relatable incidents the world has faced collectively. The number of people dying or losing loved ones is equivalent to World Wars. The challenges have taken a significant toll on the lives of tons of people.

I hope they find courage after watching ‘Qaid’. And a huge thanks to One Digital Entertainment for providing me with all the necessary tech requirements to make my debut short film.

We’re glad to partner with Humara Movie. They release a short film every week. And we feature the story of someone behind the film. After all, everyone has a story.

Delhi Stories is an emerging platform to feature inspirational, motivational, relatable and beautiful stories. Do you also have an interesting friendship story like Aritra Sen?