No Reply came from my growing discomfort with how dependent we’ve become on our phones and digital validation. I kept noticing people physically present but emotionally elsewhere. The film grew from that observation into a story about quiet loneliness in a hyper-connected world.

I’m an actor and filmmaker drawn to character-driven stories that reflect society. I was born to a film distributor and began acting on stage at the age of four — storytelling has been part of my life ever since. Growing up in India, my earliest exposure to cinema was Bollywood, and it was almost certainly a Shah Rukh Khan romance that first pulled me into the magic of films.

Directors like Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Quentin Tarantino, and Federico Fellini have deeply inspired me. Their work taught me how powerful direction and camera language can be; sometimes a scene needs no dialogue at all to communicate emotion. As for favourites, I love a solid action film like Die Hard, while classics like Citizen Kane and Fellini’s 8½ remain deeply influential for me.

Storytelling has always come naturally to me — I’ve felt most alive while performing or creating since childhood, often being called “filmy” for the way I narrated even everyday moments. But it was more recently, while working in film production and studying filmmaking at The Gritnova Global Campus, that I truly recognised cinema as my most defined and powerful storytelling language.

The biggest challenge was time. I was simultaneously working in film production on another project, and once I was free, I had a very limited window to complete the film before a festival deadline. As this was my first full-fledged production under Samer’s Studio, building and coordinating the right team alongside the time pressure became both a challenge and a learning curve.

Coming from a strong production background, I was comfortable managing the practical realities from casting through post-production. The real adjustment was balancing multiple roles — acting, directing, and production management — which demanded constant switching between creative and logistical mindsets. While challenging at times, it also gave me complete control over the film’s rhythm and intent.

Audience responses have been very encouraging, particularly around how relatable the film feels. Viewers across different age groups have connected with its themes of technological and emotional dependence, often recognising aspects of their own behaviour in the story. That sense of reflection has been the most rewarding feedback for me.

I believe that cinema is a gift to humankind; a way of telling stories that is deeply personal and unique to every individual. There is no single style or method that is right, because even the slightest change in vision can completely alter a story, and that is what makes this art form so beautiful. As a filmmaker, I believe the most important thing is to stay honest and authentic to your own voice, whether the story is original or adapted.

Film festivals play a vital role because they give independent voices a space to be seen, heard, and celebrated beyond commercial boundaries. They create meaningful dialogue between filmmakers, audiences, and cultures, keeping cinema alive as an art form. To me, getting the most out of festivals means engaging with people, exchanging perspectives, and letting the film travel beyond the screen.

My focus moving forward is to keep evolving both as an actor and a filmmaker, taking on projects that challenge me creatively and emotionally. I want to continue telling character-driven stories while expanding the scale and depth of my work across different formats. Most importantly, I aim to keep learning, collaborating, and growing with each film I make.