Meet Anjalika Sharma | Filmmaker, Photographer & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anjalika Sharma and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anjalika, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
Professional success is doing work that feels like fun to me, provides exceptional value to clients, and pays well. It’s thinking things through before a project, so I can anticipate everything I need to create an effective product for my client. The biggest metric of success is leaving a client feeling like they got more than they paid for. I want my clients to know I care about them and will go above and beyond to make sure they get everything they need and some when they work with me.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started Indie Nari Productions in 2014. ‘Indie’ – independent artist and ‘Nari’ is a woman in Hindi, I grew up in Mumbai, India, hence the Nari. To tell you about my business I need to go back in time a little…I went to film school in India with dreams of becoming the next ‘Mira Nair’, a filmmaker who inspired me to become a Director. My thesis film out of film school won the National award for the ‘Best Debut of a Director’ and I received a scholarship to make a film in Berlin at the HFF in Potsdam. I was on track to become an international filmmaker, I thought but life had other plans..in 2001, I moved to the US to marry my high school sweetheart, I was unable to work for the first two years as a ‘dependent’. I spent my time making volunteer films for non-profits in Burlington, Vermont, where we lived at the time. When I was authorized to work, I made two documentaries for Mountain Lake PBS in Plattsburgh, NY. In 2006 we moved to Austin, TX where we started a family. I stayed home to raise my kids until 2013, We moved to San Diego in November 2013, my kids were now ready for school, it was time to start my business. I began with a series of educational videos for the US Airforce, after which I did some corporate work. I added photography to my business. My business has grown through word of mouth and personal connections, I love people, and the they enjoy working with me, they share my info with friends and family, When I get a project to do, I find ways to give my clients the best product, so they keep coming back to me!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If a friend visits, I would take them for an early morning hike to Torrey Pines, then wade in the ocean for a little bit. We would then drive to Bird Rock Coffee Roasters to grab a cup of coffee. After that, we would drive to Balboa Park to walk around, maybe get some pictures, post-covid I would go into some of the museums. After Balboa, we would drive to University Heights for lunch, we would eat at Plumeria. I would spend one day at the Zoo because all the people I love, also love animals! On the third day, we would go to Mission Beach and go kayaking, then drive to HIllcrest for Lunch. On day four we would go to La Jolla to meet the seals and then go grab tacos. Day 5, I would drive up on Highway 101 and take my friend to the Self Realization Fellowship in Encinitas, grab smoothies at Swamis and walk around downtown Encinitas until sunset, then watch an epic sunset at the beach. .

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wouldn’t be where I am without my family, both the family I was born in, and the one I have created with my husband, My two older sisters are my biggest support system, they support my creative endeavors and wild ideas with encouragement and the best advice. My parents ingrained in me the values of gratitude, respect, and generosity. I was taught to always be thankful for what I had and treat people with respect, they taught me to find a way to give back, “There’s always something you can do to make things better for someone else”, this has always grounded me. My husband is my ‘sensible’ best friend, but also the guy I go to, to discuss my hopes and fears, he always knows the right things to say to boost my confidence and remind me why I do what I do – he brings me back to my heart. My kids motivate me to be successful because I want them to be proud of me.

Website: www.anjalikasharma.com
Instagram: @indienari
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjalikasharma/
Twitter: @indienari
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indienari

Image Credits
On Set Photos by Michael C Morello, Poster of Film designed by Tyler Fordham