Lucknow: Hemwant Tiwari’s journey into the world of cinema is anything but conventional. Raised in a disciplined Army household, he inherited a sense of structure, perseverance, and grit that would later define his creative pursuits. His mother’s unwavering dedication as a teacher and his father’s military precision created a dual influence—discipline and diligence—which now fuel his storytelling both in front of and behind the camera. For Hemwant, filmmaking isn’t just a profession; it’s a calling honed through years of commitment, patience, and self-imposed rigor.
Before stepping onto film sets and red carpets, Hemwant was navigating life through call center shifts and classroom sessions at the Barry John Acting Studio. The hustle was real—and unrelenting. But instead of letting adversity weigh him down, he transformed it into momentum. Whether it was his critically acclaimed short Panaah or his poignant film Zindagi Bahut Khoobsurat Hai, which made its way to Cannes, Hemwant has consistently gravitated toward stories that reflect depth, truth, and human complexity. Each script he chooses echoes his commitment to meaningful cinema.
His international debut in the sci-fi series Medinah, filmed in Qatar, marked a turning point—one that came not by chance but by design. True to his nature, Hemwant had turned down personal travel for years, determined that his first international experience would be earned through work. That quiet conviction speaks volumes about the kind of artist he is: one who believes in purpose over glamour. From directing and acting in Salaam to spending nearly two years completing his one-take feature film Lomad, Hemwant Tiwari continues to carve his own path—steadfast, deliberate, and deeply rooted in passion. EXCERPTS
Q: You come from a disciplined army family background. How did that upbringing influence your approach to acting and filmmaking?
Hemwant Tiwari:
Absolutely—it’s been foundational. My father served in the army, and he’s retired now. Growing up in that environment, discipline—and I spell that out deliberately—was a way of life. Everything had a time: when to wake up, when to sleep, what to do in between. That routine was instilled in me from childhood, and it has stayed with me.
My mother was a teacher, and I’ve seen her work incredibly hard too. She used to travel around to give tuitions, sometimes for just five or ten rupees. I’ve seen her carry bags full of vegetables—10 kilos at a time—just to save a few rupees here and there. So, I’ve grown up watching a blend of discipline and sheer hard work.
That combination really shaped how I approach filmmaking today. Especially the kind of films I’m involved in—they demand more than just showing up. I’m acting, writing, directing, sometimes all at once. And to juggle all that, you need the kind of discipline I grew up with. That background became my foundation.
Q: From working in a call center during college to training at Barry John’s acting studio—what kept your passion for acting alive during those early hustle years?
Hemwant Tiwari:
Honestly, the hustle hasn’t stopped—and I hope it never does. It’s the hustle that keeps me alive. The day it ends, I think I’ll stop growing.
What’s beautiful about this journey is that every year, something new comes along—a role, a compliment, a project—that gives me a fresh boost. It’s like life saying, “Keep going.” And that little push, that surge of energy, keeps me fuelled.
Back in the early days, when I was juggling call center shifts and auditions, what kept me going was pure hunger. The hunger to achieve something, to do something extraordinary. I always wanted to offer the audience something fresh, something they hadn’t seen before. That drive—combined with a bit of madness—was enough to keep the fire alive. And it still is.
Q: Your short film Panaah received critical acclaim, and Zindagi Bahut Khoobsurat Hai made it to Cannes. What draws you to stories like these, and how do you pick your scripts?
Hemwant Tiwari:
How I choose my stories is very instinctive. When someone approaches me with a script, the first thing I see is whether the story appeals to me. If it does, I go ahead with it.
That’s exactly what happened with Panaah, where I play an army officer. I come from an Army background, so it felt very close to me. I definitely want to make more films on the army or war — that’s on my bucket list.
Zindagi Bahut Khoobsurat Hai is another captivating story that I really wanted to be a part of. I even assisted in the making of that film, and it eventually went to Cannes in 2013. It was an unforgettable experience.
Q: Your debut international series Medinah marked a major milestone. How did that project come your way, and what was your experience like in Qatar?
Hemwant Tiwari:
Thank you for asking! I’ve been asked this quite a lot, actually. Honestly, it was the result of sheer hard work. I used to give 13–14 auditions a day — even in heavy rain, wearing a raincoat and riding my bike, thinking fewer actors would turn up in such weather.
Somehow, one of my taped auditions reached Qatar, where the team for Medinah was casting. I was eventually selected, and when I asked them how they found me, they mentioned my short film Salaam, which I had both directed and acted in.
Working on Medinah was life-changing. I spent six months in Qatar alongside Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts. The sets were so detailed and elaborate — I learned a lot. Financially, it gave me stability, and creatively, it was a huge leap. It was my first taste of the scale and professionalism of international productions.
Q: You directed and acted in the short film Salaam. What were the challenges and rewards of wearing both hats on a project?
Hemwant Tiwari:
Thank you for digging into this! Salaam was my first attempt at both directing and acting in the same film. It was just a five-minute short, but it happened for a reason — a friend of mine wanted to pitch a feature film to an investor, and we needed something to showcase.
I was deeply involved in the pre-production, which helped immensely. Because everything was well planned, the actual shoot wasn’t chaotic, even though I was juggling both roles.
What makes Salaam extra special to me is that it led to Medinah, and from Medinah came my first feature film Lomad. So Salaam truly set the chain in motion.
Q: It’s interesting that you turned down personal travel opportunities because you wanted your first trip abroad to be work-related. What did that self-imposed discipline teach you about patience and purpose?
Hemwant Tiwari:
Yes, that’s true! My brother and sister-in-law invited me to visit them in Dubai for a long stay, but I said no. I had made up my mind — my first international trip would be for work.
And that’s exactly what happened with Medinah. It was as if the manifestation worked out exactly how I’d envisioned. I truly believe in manifestation — and I think it believes in me too!
As for patience and purpose — they are everything. People say there’s no formula to success, but I disagree. There is one: patience, discipline, hard work, and consistency. If you have these, success will follow you no matter what.
Q: Your film Lomad took nearly two years to make. What were the biggest hurdles during its making, and what kept you going despite them?
Hemwant Tiwari:
Don’t even get me started — Lomad was one of the toughest phases of my life. I went through extreme hardships. There were times I ate at langars in Gurudwaras for months because I had no money. I invested everything I had into the film.
I sold my bike. I couldn’t pay rent for a few months and got thrown out of my place. It was brutal. But at the same time, it was also a very exciting phase.
In the end, it all paid off. Lomad became the world’s first black-and-white single-shot feature film. It’s also one of the most award-winning single-shot films ever made — and it was loved widely. That made everything worth it.
Q: Tell us about your latest film Krishna Arjun.
Hemwant Tiwari:
Krishna Arjun is my most ambitious project to date. It was shot entirely in a single take — the full runtime is 2 hours and 14 minutes, without a single cut. The actors were performing non-stop, the camera never stopped rolling.
It’s also the world’s first double-role single-shot film. For the first time, you’ll see a double role, flashbacks, dream sequences, slow-motion shots, and even set changes — all in one continuous take.
It’s something that hasn’t been attempted in the history of cinema, and I wanted to give audiences something fresh, extraordinary, and cinematic. That’s what makes Krishna Arjun so unique.
