What does it mean to present India to the world—not as a picture-perfect stereotype, but in all its depth and contradictions? For more than thirty years, Mira Nair has done just that. With films like Monsoon Wedding (2001), she brought Delhi’s vibrant chaos to global audiences, and in The Namesake (2006), she poignantly portrayed the ache of being far from home. Now, Bijoy Shetty is exploring similar themes through a different medium. At 27, his music videos for artists like Hanumankind, Martin Garrix, and Badshah are pushing Indian hip-hop beyond imitation, grounding it in local traditions—from dahi handi pyramids and fearless bikers to ancient martial arts—while using a visual style that resonates everywhere.

When Nair and Shetty connected over Zoom for Vogue, they shared thoughts on each other’s work and discussed the delicate balance between staying true to one’s roots and making art that speaks to a wider audience. Above all, they talked about resisting the urge to simplify identities into easy, marketable images. For both, the challenge—and the reward—is the same: to capture India as it truly is, in all its beautifully messy complexity.

Vogue: Mira, you’ve described yourself as an Indian filmmaker who feels at home anywhere in the world. Your films have reshaped how people see India and its diaspora. Bijoy, your music videos, especially your recent work with Hanumankind, are deeply connected to Indian culture. How central is representation to your creative process?

Mira Nair: I don’t see myself as an ambassador, here to boast about how wonderful or rich my country is. I don’t make films like a Benetton ad. My goal is to dive into the layers of life around me and uncover the humanity that’s unique to that place—to tell stories so honestly that they become universal. We’re not isolated from one another; we all share the same human experience. That said, as an Indian filmmaker living in New York and later East Africa, I often found myself in places where I stood out, where I felt pressured to explain myself. But I’ve always had a fierce streak—I won’t justify who I am or give lessons on why I wear a bindi. And I refuse to let people who’ve never walked in our shoes take our culture and twist it into something it’s not.

Bijoy Shetty: Unfortunately, colonization has left its mark on us, making us believe that Western culture is superior. Honestly, I’ve even benefited from that bias. With “Big Dawgs,” a lot of the attention came from people’s surprise that an Indian could rap like that. It wasn’t about high production values—it was the shock of seeing an Indian rapper and an Indian music video that made it go viral. But once that initial surprise fades, does your work have a strong enough identity to hold people’s interest? That’s what truly matters.

Vogue: Mira, you’ve said that the street is your biggest inspiration, whether it’s where your stories come from or your preference for casting non-actors. Bijoy, hip-hop itself was born on the streets of the Bronx. What does the street mean to you as a character, and how does it inspire your work?

Mira Nair: My earliest inspiration came from the streets—growing up in Bhubaneswar, cycling past temples, watching beetles emerge after the monsoon, or stumbling upon Odissi dance rehearsals in the open. Those everyday sights and sounds showed me the magic in the ordinary. While filming India Cabaret (1985), I lived with cabaret dancers for months and was sometimes mistaken for one. That deep immersion taught me how rich and complicated ordinary lives can be. I witnessed things that, if written as fiction, people would dismiss as unbelievable. The street was my endless classroom—a school of life that taught me to approach everything with humility and an open mind.

Bijoy Shetty: Almost everything I create comes from my own experiences. Growing up in Maharashtra, I was surrounded by dahi handi celebrations, and I’d constantly see people fall and hit the ground.I wanted to capture that sense of moving at terrifying speeds, which is how the idea for the music video for “Weightless” by Martin Garrix and Arijit Singh came about. The same thing happened with “Big Dawgs.” When I was a child, my family used to take me to the circus, and when I heard the song, there was a sample that sounded exactly like a bike revving. That made me think of the well of death. For me, inspiration always comes from experience, research, and the instinct to turn my life into something cinematic.

How do you recover from creative setbacks when a shoot doesn’t go well or a film doesn’t turn out as you imagined?

MN: I find solace in my garden because the trees don’t ask questions. The rhythm of nature is an incredible teacher; there’s a time to rest and a time to flourish. What was beautiful last week may be gone today, so you learn to accept the humility that comes with time. Yoga helps me a lot, and so does my family. But nothing completely erases the deep loneliness you feel when you start with an idea and end up with something entirely different.

BS: It really stays with me, but at the same time, it’s become a kind of superpower. Every time I make a mistake, the anxiety to do better next time drives me forward. I know I won’t repeat the same error because of that fear. Once I’ve learned from it, I try to put it aside and move on.

What’s a piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were starting out?

MN: Don’t take no for an answer. You need the heart of a poet and the skin of an elephant. It’s tough because you have to build resilience while keeping the sensitivity required to be a good filmmaker.

BS: There are no rules. You can shoot whatever you want. Don’t let yourself be limited by what others have taught or told you. Just be comfortable with a little discomfort and figure things out as you go.

Mira, your films have always explored themes of identity and belonging. Your son, Zohran Mamdani, is now addressing similar issues through politics as he runs for mayor of New York City. Do you see his work as a continuation of that impulse in a different medium?

MN: I feel like Zohran is leading us toward a new dawn. I’m amazed by his courage and clarity, but what really resonates with me is how he unapologetically embodies multiple worlds within himself, celebrating them fully. I love that he gives us all hope. He has a visionary way of seeing the world, and it’s not about power—it’s about equality, justice, and genuine respect for working people.

BS: You must be so proud, ma’am.

MN: I am, I am. My mother once said at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival, where Salaam Bombay! was being screened, “I’m the producer of the director.” Now I say, “I’m the producer of the candidate.”

This story appears in Vogue India’s November-December 2025 issue, now on stands. Subscribe here.

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Mira Nair and Bijoy Shettys work in reshaping global perceptions of India

General Beginner Questions

1 Who are Mira Nair and Bijoy Shetty
Mira Nair is an acclaimed IndianAmerican film director known for movies like Monsoon Wedding and Salaam Bombay Bijoy Shetty is a prominent film producer and the founder of the Ek Katha production company They are creative partners focused on telling authentic Indian stories

2 What does reshaping global perceptions of India mean
It means moving beyond stereotypes and showing the world the true diverse and complex reality of modern and traditional Indian life through authentic storytelling

3 Why is it important to change how the world sees India
Accurate perceptions foster greater cultural understanding mutual respect and equal partnerships in business and arts It allows India to be seen for its innovation rich cultures and humanity not just its challenges

4 How do they plan to do this
Primarily through film and media They create and produce stories that are rooted in Indian reality but have universal themes ensuring they resonate with both Indian and international audiences

Advanced Detailed Questions

5 What are some specific examples of their work that do this
Mira Nairs Monsoon Wedding Showcased a modern uppermiddleclass Indian family breaking the stereotype of India being only about tradition or poverty
A Suitable Boy Presented a nuanced view of postindependence India its politics and social structures
Their production company Ek Katha Is dedicated to finding and funding these kinds of authentic crosscultural stories

6 What are the common stereotypes they are challenging
They challenge the idea of India as a monolithic culture the overemphasis on poverty and slums the magical and spiritual stereotype and the portrayal of Indian women as solely submissive

7 Whats the biggest challenge in reshaping these perceptions
The biggest challenge is overcoming decades of established onedimensional portrayals in Western media It requires not only creating new stories but also ensuring they get widespread distribution and viewership globally