“From as early as I can remember, the world of cinema fascinated me. I loved stories – the way they could hold an audience, stir emotions, and linger long after the final scene. I dreamed of becoming a director, yet I had no map to reach that distant shore. Like many, I followed the conventional path: I completed my B.Com and accepted a job through campus placement.
The corporate world welcomed me with its routines, deadlines, and hierarchies. But I refused to be just another name in the system. I was a multitasker, always searching for smarter ways to work. By mastering new computer skills, I could finish tasks far quicker than others. My manager noticed and soon asked me to train the team. That drive to innovate led me to develop a software tool – ‘Loggy’. It tracked the exact time screens were active, boosting productivity across the office. Suddenly, I was no longer just an employee; I had built something impactful.
Yet, even as I thrived in corporate life, the dream of cinema never left me. The turning point came with a short film competition. I poured myself into creating Veera, a film about a couple navigating life with HIV. The story needed no elaborate dialogues. It spoke on its own. When the film won four awards, I felt an old fire awaken.
From there, I began making short films, seven or eight in total, including ‘Lollipop’. Each one found recognition at various competitions. My life became a balancing act: working in the office by day, shooting on weekends, and editing through long nights until two or three in the morning. Exhaustion was constant, but so was purpose.
Then, one evening, the phone rang. It was Director Saran, known for Amarkalam, Asal, Gemini, etc. He offered me a chance to work with him. Without hesitation, I resigned from my job and stepped into the world I had once only dreamt about.
But dreams can be fragile. The project I worked on with him collapsed due to financial setbacks and never saw the light of day. It was devastating, but it was also the beginning of something new.
Picking myself up after that disappointment was not easy. I could have returned to corporate life, but I knew my heart didn’t belong there. Using the contacts I had built, I started an event management company. But as the months went by, I realized my real interest wasn’t in planning events – it was in capturing their essence. I was drawn to visuals, to the power of framing a single moment.
That realization birthed ‘Shadows Photography’.
At the start, I hired professional photographers while I managed clients. Slowly, I began to learn photography myself, drawing from my experience as a filmmaker. I had always understood how a frame should feel, how a still could tell a story. Now, with a camera in hand, I translated that vision into photographs.
The early years were unforgiving. Clients often vanished without paying. Profits were nonexistent. We had to convince people to pay even for completed albums. Yet, with every setback, I refined my art and built my brand. Over time, the industry began to shift. Photography was no longer a side service. It became central to every event. And when the boom came, Shadows Photography was ready. Within years, we surpassed even the leading company of the time.
Alongside this professional journey, my personal life found its anchor. I married, though my wife was initially hesitant about a career in photography. She later saw the passion that drove me and stood firmly by my side. Today, she is a renowned makeup artist herself, and together we form a creative partnership that supports and strengthens our work. Our two children, Danwik and Miyarah, are constant reminders of why perseverance matters.
Social media gave us another turning point. Platforms became powerful tools for building a profile, showcasing work, and earning clients. Yet, even in this competitive space, I held to one principle: success is not about pulling others down. Competitors inspire growth, not rivalry. Clients gained through manipulation are temporary, but those earned through trust stay for life.
From cinema dreams to corporate innovation, from failed films to flourishing photography, my journey has been about one truth: when you follow your passion wholeheartedly, the world eventually aligns with your vision!”