IC SPOTLIGHT FEATURE — DECEMBER
IC Feature of the Month: Ishban Yadav
Ishban Yadav is an Indian Youtuber, aspiring filmmaker and a Computer Science & Engineering Graduate from Techno India University, West Bengal. He has worked with the Direction Team of a few Bengali Feature Films and also as a Writer and Artist for Dramatically Correct (Theatre Group from Kolkata).
Aspiring to make his own film by the age of 28, Ishban is currently working at Bolo Indya (Synergybyte Media).
Tune in his video interview 📹
How did you discover your inclination towards filmmaking?
I got introduced to World Cinema in my high school — Independent and Commercial alike. That’s when I understood that stories are not limited to a certain stereotype, they can be anyones and everyones. I thus found filmmaking to be the ideal visual medium for expressing my perspective through various stories.
How did you manage to balance engineering and your content creation?
Truth be told, you don’t actually balance.
You learn ‘Jugaad’ to get good grades and then focus and enjoy the work that you actually wish to do. Until and unless your engineering education and your aspiration are aligned in the same direction, you only prioritize what’s important and work around that — for me it was Content Creation.
How has starting your YouTube channel, growing it to ~34K subscribers changed you as a person?
I think it has made me realistic and a dreamer at the same time.
Earlier my self-belief used to be low because of “Log Kya Kahenge” Syndrome, but now I believe that if you are able to put your hard work (and smart-work) into something, it's bound to happen for you. I also have learned to give respect to some opinions and ignore some. Also, I have learned the immense value of my friends and family — everything else is a variable.
Your family is constant. Also, I have somehow become more raw/honest/free/comfortable/candid with my content, not sure why that’s happening but it's a change for good.
What would be your advice to your younger self?
To enjoy small milestones a bit more, to find happiness in things which at the moment may seem trivial. You are anyway dissatisfied because of your hunger for your goals — so better find passive bits and pieces of happiness to keep you sane.
What’s your take on pursuing internships and participating in co-curricular during college life?
Internships and Co-Curriculars are something that everyone must do.
I can honestly say that I was not in the top 10 percentile of my batchmates — academics wise but am surely in the top 1 percentile career-wise. Your experience with internships, part-time jobs, and various co-curricular gives you an experience that can not be attained via theoretical knowledge. Also ensure to enjoy everything that you do, even if it's pain — learn to enjoy the pain!
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