Sarab Sahni: Crafting Stories that Connect Culture, Comedy, and Courage

Sarab Sahni: Crafting Stories that Connect Culture, Comedy, and Courage

Sarab Sahni is more than a filmmaker; she’s a storyteller who uses the power of cinema to bridge cultures, challenge conventions, and invite her audience to see the world through a different lens. Her unique style—a seamless blend of satire and social commentary—has garnered her international recognition, including an award-winning commercial that combines humor with thought-provoking insights. Today, Sarab sits down with us to share her journey, creative influences, and what drives her to bring underrepresented stories to the screen.

Q: Can you share your journey into filmmaking? What first inspired you to pursue a career as a director and writer?

Sarab Sahni: My journey began when I was 12 and got my first digital camera. I didn’t understand the technicalities back then—angles, composition, or lighting—but I fell in love with capturing moments. The ability to “freeze” time felt like magic to me. I’d take photos of anything that caught my eye, turning the images into tiny visual stories. Later, my sister introduced me to filmmaking and I was instantly hooked. The ability to create moving stories, to have the images come to life was a revelation. I immediately knew I wanted to be a filmmaker. Being a filmmaker is not a traditional path for women of a Punjabi family. But I was determined and able to convince my family to give me a chance. And with that I set out to make my dream a reality.

Q: How has your multicultural upbringing influenced your storytelling and film techniques?

Sarab Sahni: I’ve been lucky to have lived in several places—born in Kuwait, raised in Dubai, and later, I moved to the U.S. Experiencing different cultures has been both a challenge and a blessing. I grew up watching Bollywood and Hollywood films, but it was the work of filmmakers like Mira Nair and Gurinder Chadha that touched my heart. They told stories about people like me, about feeling out of place or navigating multiple cultures. I saw myself and my family in their characters, and it deeply influenced the kinds of stories I wanted to tell.

Having been raised in a traditional household, I’m drawn to stories of identity, belonging, and the courage to break out of societal norms. My films explore themes of family dynamics, self-discovery, and the empowerment of women in male-dominated societies. Today, I pull from my experiences to create characters that everyone can relate to—whether they’re dealing with cultural expectations or just trying to find their place in the world.

Q: Your Nature Made Multivitamin commercial won Best Commercial at the Urban Mediamakers Film Festival. How did that project come together, and what do you think made it stand out?

Sarab Sahni: That commercial was a creative adventure! It was created during my program at film school. My writing partner and I came up with the idea while working on another shoot. We aimed to merge our love for cinema with advertising. We wanted to pay homage to Patrick Bateman’s ritualistic morning beauty routine but with a comedic twist. The blend of humor, cinematic homage, and the commercial having a feel of being a scene from a film rather than a commercial made it very engaging and fun to watch. I believe it was this unique approach o“cinematic” advertising that ultimately resonated with the audiences and judges.

Q: Many filmmakers focus on either comedy or drama, but your work blends both. How do you find that balance?

Sarab Sahni: As a young artist exploring various themes and genres, I prefer to let ideas guide me rather than limiting myself to a specific genre. I like my films to be representative of life and life is a mixture of all emotions. By allowing the story to shape the tone, I’m able to seamlessly integrate satire and serious themes. This approach enables me to highlight the absurdity or irony in certain situations while also addressing deeper, more complex issues.

For example, in the Nature Made ad, the humor comes from the absurdity of Joe’s routine. But beneath that, there’s a message about the contradictions we live with in our daily lives. Integrating satire with serious themes lets me make audiences laugh while also inviting them to reflect.

Q: How do you incorporate social commentary into your films, and why does it resonate with audiences?

Sarab Sahni: I find that the stories that intrigue me the most are stories that highlight real life struggles of everyday people. For example, the theme of identity loss is something that is very common to not only immigrants such as myself but to all people around the world who find themselves lost and unsure of themselves at various points in their lives. I have experienced this feeling myself.

Having grown up in the Middle East, I witnessed the prevalence of male-dominated structures that suppress the voices of women – so my stories usually center around women facing the challenges of overcoming societal norms. And having lived in the United States for the past three years, I have become much more aware of the challenges women face globally. This awareness informs my storytelling, allowing my narratives to transcend South Asian culture and connect with a wider audience.

Q: What would you say are the major milestones that have shaped your career so far?

Sarab Sahni: Several key milestones have defined my artistic development as a filmmaker thus far. In addition to directing, I’ve cultivated skills in color grading and editing, which have expanded my creative versatility. One defining moment was when my most recent documentary was aired on PBS nationwide. Additionally, my films and commercials have garnered multiple awards at film festivals around the world.

These milestones remind me that people want to see these stories and that they resonate beyond just one culture or community.

Q: Do you think your Punjabi heritage influences the stories you tell?

Sarab Sahni: Absolutely. I come from a culture that values family, tradition, and strength, but it also comes with expectations that can feel restrictive. That tension is what drives a lot of my storytelling. I want to address the unspoken rules and explore the challenges and beauty of living within and beyond those boundaries.

At the same time, my experiences help me connect with people from different backgrounds. Whether it’s through an immigrant’s journey or a woman’s struggle to find her voice, I aim to create stories that speak to universal experiences of resilience and belonging.

Q: What’s next for you in your filmmaking career?

Sarab Sahni: I’m thrilled to be working on my first feature film with writer-director Alam Virk. We’re in the development phase and plan to move into production by mid-2025. This project marks an exciting step forward, and I believe it will contribute to the evolution of the film industry by highlighting underrepresented cultural narratives. By focusing on meaningful, culturally rich stories, we hope to bring fresh perspectives to audiences and inspire more inclusive storytelling in cinema.

Looking forward, I hope to continue amplifying stories from South Asia and the Middle East, highlighting the shared human experience that connects us all. My goal is to foster deeper connections between people through these stories and to inspire other filmmakers to bring diverse perspectives to the screen.

Q: How do you define success as a filmmaker today?

Sarab Sahni: Success to me is creating work that has a lasting impact. It’s about telling stories that people remember, stories that spark conversations and challenge the way we see the world. Awards and recognition are wonderful, but my real goal is to connect with people on a deeper level, to remind them that they’re not alone in their experiences.

I want to be a filmmaker who makes a difference—not just through the films I create but through the way they make people feel. At the end of the day, that’s what storytelling is all about: creating connections that last.

Sarab Sahni’s journey is a testament to the power of storytelling, resilience, and the courage to create work that challenges norms while resonating across cultures. With each new project, she brings her unique blend of humor and humanity to the screen, and she’s just getting started. In a world that needs more stories of empathy and understanding, Sarab is a filmmaker to watch—one who is shaping the future of cinema, one story at a time.