The Independent Filmmaker's Playbook: Venk Potula on Financing Indie Films, Beating Imposter Syndrome, and Building a Legacy Without the Studios

The Emmy-Winner's Playbook: Apoorva Bakshi on Betting Everything on Delhi Crime and Making Indian Stories Unstoppable

She is the Emmy-winning producer who read a script overnight, canceled all her meetings the next morning, and put her life savings into a show that had never been done before in India. Apoorva Bakshi joins Ritika Agrawal to break down exactly what it took to bring Delhi Crime, one of Netflix's Top 10 non-English shows globally, from an unproven idea to an internationally celebrated series, and to reveal the single creative principle she believes separates stories that travel from stories that simply get made. Delhi Crime (Netflix, Seasons 1–3) Emmy Award winner, Best Drama Series; 2.5 million views in its first week; Netflix Top 10 Non-English globally. Apoorva is currently in production on new projects spanning Bengali cinema and additional series in development. Apoorva explains: ■Why a good distribution strategy cannot save a bad story, but a great story can be amplified by one ■How to package and pitch independent Indian films to global streamers before they were buying them ■The subtitling decisions that made Delhi Crime land emotionally in markets that had never seen Indian crime drama ■What independent producers actually need to do before approaching a platform and why representation rights are a starting point, not a ceiling ■How to finance an independently produced TV series with no studio backing, no track record, and no guarantee of a deal ■Why shooting like an independent filmmaker is the competitive advantage on a streaming platform ■What makes a story investable to global financiers, and how to build a slate that earns trust over time ■The producing philosophy behind Delhi Crime's three-season run: specificity, subtitling, and betting on the written material (00:00) Intro (02:38) Welcome to OFFSCRIPT: A Conversation Long Overdue (04:15) The Emmy, Delhi Crime, and 2.5 Million Views in Week One (07:30) Creative vs. Distribution: Which Comes First? (11:00) The More Specific You Are, the Further It Travels (15:45) Why Subtitling Is a Craft, Not an Afterthought (21:00) A Goldmine of Independent Films No One Was Distributing (28:30) The Netflix Deal That Started With Representation Rights and No Money (35:00) Reading the Delhi Crime Script and Canceling All Meetings (44:00) Putting Life Savings In and Getting Everyone to Say Yes (52:00) 62 Days, a Danish Cinematographer, and a Crew Aged 27 (1:01:00) The Sundance Bidding War and the Deal That Changed Everything (1:10:00) Why Independent Cinema Still Wins in a $32 Billion Market (1:18:00) The Rapid Fire: Constellation, Motherhood, and Ruthless Prioritizing (1:26:00) What She's Betting on Next OFFSCRIPT is your front row seat to the future of global entertainment. New episodes every other Monday, subscribe so you don't miss one: https://www.youtube.com/@offscriptwithritika Listen on the go: Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/6u63rW7RJ1zY74ery2h72C Follow Ritika: Instagram — https://instagram.com/ritikagrawall LinkedIn — https://linkedin.com/in/ritika-agrawal- TikTok — https://tiktok.com/@ritikagrawall Follow OFFSCRIPT: Instagram — https://instagram.com/offscriptwithritika TikTok — https://tiktok.com/@offscriptwithritika Follow Apoorva Bakshi: https://www.instagram.com/apoorvarb/?hl=en For sponsorships and partnerships: ritika@phoolhouseproductions.com #OFFSCRIPT #ApoorvaBakshi #DelhiCrime #IndianCinema #Netflix #IndependentFilm #SouthAsianFilmmakers #GlobalStorytelling #EmmyAward #WomenInFilm

The Independent Filmmaker's Playbook: Venk Potula on Financing Indie Films, Beating Imposter Syndrome, and Building a Legacy Without the Studios

He built a production company from short films shot for a few hundred dollars, broke into Tribeca, and landed an IFC release, all without a single studio connection. Venk Potula joins Ritika Agrawal to talk about what it actually takes to finance, direct, and release an independent film as a South Asian filmmaker in America, and why the community's biggest cultural moment in cinema hasn't happened yet.Venk Potula is a multi-hyphenate actor, director, and producer behind Four Samosas (Tribeca 2022, IFC Films) and the upcoming theatrical release Namaslay (August 2025). His directorial feature debut is currently in post-production.Venk explains:■ Why you invest your own money before any investor will, and what his dad told him■ Why a film that flopped makes you more investable than one you never made■ The Excel spreadsheet in his pitch deck that sets him apart from every filmmaker in the room■ Why controlling your time is the one non-creative skill that decides if you survive■ How he beat imposter syndrome on Four Samosas, and the call with his mom that changed everything■ Why South Asian cinema still has no Black Panther moment, and what it'll take to build one■ Why the smartest filmmakers start marketing before the film exists■ What "build your own Hollywood" really means when the bills are real and the door is closed (00:00) Intro(01:11) "Build Your Own Hollywood" — But Who's Actually Funding It?(03:08) The Dad Test: Would You Bet Your Own Money?(04:16) Why a Failed Film Makes You More Investable(05:09) Get a Lawyer: The Lesson Nobody Teaches(06:36) The Film That's in Post Right Now(08:07) How to Find Investors When You Have No Industry(09:58) The Excel Spreadsheet in His Pitch Deck(12:00) Marketing a Film Before It Exists(14:22) From Wild 'N Out to Independent Cinema: Redefining Success(16:18) The Man Who'd Never Seen Himself on Screen(18:23) Imposter Syndrome and the Mom Who Drilled Him on His Lines(24:15) The One Non-Creative Skill That Keeps You in the Game(27:11) Khrisp Entertainment: Building a Legacy, Not Just a Career(32:06) On Being South Asian Without Being a Spokesperson(38:36) Niche vs. Range: Do You Have to Choose?(42:13) Where Is South Asian Cinema's Black Panther Moment? OFFSCRIPT is your front row seat to the future of global entertainment. New episodes every other Monday, subscribe so you don't miss one: https://www.youtube.com/@offscriptwithritikaListen on the go:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6u63rW7RJ1zY74ery2h72CFollow Ritika Agrawal:Instagram: https://instagram.com/ritikagrawallLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritika-agrawal-TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@ritikagrawallFollow OFFSCRIPT:Instagram: https://instagram.com/offscriptwithritikaTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@offscriptwithritikaFollow Venk Potula: https://www.instagram.com/venkpotula/For sponsorships and partnerships: ritika@phoolhouseproductions.com#OFFSCRIPT #VenkPotula #IndependentFilm #IndieFilmmaker #FilmFinancing #Filmmaking #FilmBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #BuildYourOwnHollywood #FilmProduction

The Rise of the Global Actor: Ankur Rathee on Making Yourself Bankable in Bollywood & Hollywood

He left a corporate career after Princeton, spent a decade building himself in Bombay, and now works across Bollywood and Hollywood. Ankur Rathee joins Ritika Agrawal to break down what the globalization of entertainment actually looks like from the inside, and what it takes to build a career across two industries. Ankur Rathee is an actor known for Four More Shots Please!, Undekhi, Made in Heaven, Shehzada and Netflix's Single Papa. He stars in the upcoming Best of the Best alongside Hasan Minhaj, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Lilly Singh. In this episode:■ Glocalization: the smartphone leap that rewired a billion viewers■ Indian cinema's real competition now? Global content.■ Bankability, not nepotism — the real economics of casting■ Attention gets the meeting. Craft keeps the career.■ Every commercial actor is an entrepreneur■ Rejection vs stardom — and staying whole between the two■ Cut through the noise: do what only you can do (00:00) Intro(02:00) Why Leave Princeton for Bombay?(05:33) The Father Who Said Quit(08:01) Glocalization: Streaming Changed Everything(10:10) What Are Indian Audiences Actually Watching?(11:02) Becoming a Global Actor: Bridging East & West(13:11) The Universal Language of Craft(13:45) Is It Nepotism Or Bankability?(15:44) Attention Is Currency(18:38) Using Social Media the Right Way for Your Craft(20:45) Craft First: Why He Didn't Go DIY(25:43) How Do Actors Actually Make Money?(30:48) A Commercial Actor Is an Entrepreneur(33:09) Rapid Fire(37:25) Meditation: The Bedrock(40:00) How Do You Survive Rejection in the Spotlight?(44:05) Cutting Through the Noise OFFSCRIPT is your front row seat to the future of global entertainment. New episodes every other Monday. Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OFFSCRIPTwithRitika [https://www.youtube.com/@OFFSCRIPTwithRitika] Follow OFFSCRIPT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offscriptwithritika/Follow Ritika: https://www.instagram.com/ritikagrawall/Follow Ankur: https://www.instagram.com/ankurratheeofficial/ For sponsorships and partnerships: ritika@phoolhouseproductions.com [ritika@phoolhouseproductions.com]

BONUS: 30 Years in Hollywood: From Adam Sandler's Dormmate to Grey's Anatomy & Never Have I Ever | with Anjul Nigam

Before Grey’s Anatomy, True Detective, and Never Have I Ever, Anjul Nigam was a student at NYU during the golden age of indie cinema, chasing auditions and living with Adam Sandler as a dormmate. His journey has been anything but straightforward: a sudden rise in Hollywood, four years of unemployment, rebuilding through theatre, and eventually stepping into producing with his breakout film Growing Up Smith, a passion project that took a decade, played 25 festivals, and even caught the attention of Barack Obama. In this Chai with Champs bonus episode, Anjul reflects on 30+ years of navigating acting and producing, from the grind of auditions to creating Persona Entertainment with Alec Baldwin. He breaks down the realities actors and filmmakers rarely hear, the truth about sustaining a career, and the hidden mechanics of producing: financing, packaging, and attaching talent. This isn’t just a conversation, it’s a candid playbook from someone who’s lived the highs and lows of Hollywood. Chai with Champs is the Center Stage for South Asian Cinema  Follow us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithchamps/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RitikaAgrawalll [00:00] – Welcome to the Episode[01:12] – Who Really is Anjul Nigam?[07:26] – From NYU in the ’80s to Adam Sandler’s Dormmate: The Road to Acting[10:10] – The Harsh Truth About Hollywood: Grey’s Anatomy, True Detective & 30 Years of Survival[23:00] – The Sudden Rise… Then 4 Years With No Work. What Happens Next?[32:03] – The Reality of Auditions, Theatre, TV & Movies (Nobody Talks About This)[37:35] – Producing Your Own Film: How Growing Up Smith Took 10 Years & 25 Festivals[47:45] – How to Build Relationships in Hollywood And Work with Oscar Winners[51:00] – Why Calling Yourself an “Aspiring Actor” Could Be Ruining Your Career[55:20] – Final Thoughts & Wrap

How to Make Your First Short Film Without Industry Access | with Renu Razdan

She walked away from corporate stability to become a full-time actor. That’s how Renu Razdan has built her path in indie cinema, acting for years on sets, then producing and starring in A Newlywed Story, proving you don’t need a safety net or traditional industry backing to create meaningful work. In this episode of Chai with Champs, Renu breaks down the real planning behind making your first short film, how to navigate the money conversation when leaving corporate life, and whether indie filmmakers truly need to be in LA, or if thriving creative hubs like Atlanta, Chicago and New York are rewriting the rules. For anyone thinking about making the leap, this conversation is the roadmap. Chai with Champs is the Center Stage for South Asian Cinema  Follow us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithchamps/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RitikaAgrawalll [00:00] - Welcome to the Episode [01:45] - Meet Renu Razdan: Actor, Filmmaker & Storyteller on the Rise [05:29] - Breaking In: How to Build Trust, Pivot & Navigate Different Cinema Landscapes [09:00] - Atlanta vs LA: What It Really Takes to Become an Actor [11:45] - Building Wealth & Balance: How Multihyphenates Turn Skills Into Remote Work & Daily Structure [20:45] - Love, Partnership & Film: Building Something With Your Life Partner in the Same Industry [27:28] - The Ultimate Guide: Bringing Your First Short Film to Life (& Into Festivals) [40:50] - Do You Really Need to Be in LA to Make It in Hollywood? [44:35] - Spill the Chai | Rapid-Fire with Renu [48:22] - The Advice She’d Give Her Younger Self & The Legacy She’s Building [50:26] - Bringing South Asian Cinema to Center Stage