Mumbai: Ishika Shahi is carving out her own space as a storyteller, trying out new formats and genres, and creating her own space through the Youtube channel of Directors Kut Productions. She created shows like Jabb Zodiacs Met, Heer Sharma gayi, Tu Ya Koi Nahi and her latest show The Lift. Ishika is a child of the entertainment industry and has been exposed to the craft from close quarters, but now that she is making her own creative choices, she feels there’s a lot to learn. The journey for her is as much about finding her voice as it is about discovering what resonates with audiences.
Talking about relying on experience while finding her own creative instinct, Ishika says, “Because I’ve grown up around this ecosystem and now that I’m making my own choices, I feel like I’m still learning. So, I don’t really trust my instincts too much right now. I like to trust my dad’s instincts because I feel like they pay off really well. He has the experience, so I want to listen to him right now.”
For Ishika, the focus remains on telling stories authentically rather than chasing trends. While YouTube is a relatively new space for her, she sees it as an opportunity to experiment, understand her audience and gradually establish a distinctive storytelling voice.
“We just want to be authentic with the kind of shows we make and keep creating, hoping that our audience finds their way to us and we find our way to them. I think that’s what my dad has always been doing as well—creating shows that he believes in. That’s the same thing I want to do,” she shares.
Her recent work on The Lift, a psychological thriller, was one such creative experiment. However, Ishika believes that understanding audience preferences is equally important while building a digital platform.
“I want to create what my audience is engaging with more,” she says. Ultimately, Ishika hopes to build a loyal audience that trusts her storytelling irrespective of genre. “I want them to trust every show I put out, no matter what genre it is. Having that kind of loyal audience would make me feel like I’ve definitely achieved success,” she concludes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=RtToJsBhYBatUrym&v=mOuYNSdhjHA&feature=youtu.be
