Rajat Nagpal: My need and greed in life is to express

Rajat Nagpal, has always let his work speak for himself. In the initial stages of his career, he worked with well known filmmakers like Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Nikhil Advani and Bharat Bala, on their respective full length feature films and television commercials. Over the last six years, he has produced and directed over 100 ad films, 30 music videos, and 15 award winning corporate films along with many award winning viral videos, video art pieces and experimental short films. So here is what this promising cinematician told about his future plans in an exclusive interview to SantaBanta.com.Excerpts:

Before proceeding further, we would like to know how this jaunt in the creativity aisles began for you?
Ever since childhood, I have been delving in various sensory art forms. Growing up in Kolkata also helped it in many ways. I got trained in classical hindustani and rabindra sangeet since the age of 10. Painting and food came naturally, while multiple school fests helped me explore my skills in dramatics! I started my first design firm when in school, doing graphic and interior work professionally! I got through IIT but decided to pursue design at NID. My interest in photography and advertising was from early years in school. NID helped me with same.

After being in the TV commercial arena, which undoubtedly needs a higher degree of creativity, how did this move towards commercial cinema and showbiz come about?
My need and greed in life is to express. Advertising films helped me to express through experimentation with visuals, while music videos did the same with ideas and concepts. Now I want to explore human stories and emotions. What better way than cinema with its reach globally. Finally someone will pay to see my work.

It is widely seen that your ad ventures are, somewhere down the line, in proximity with the real life of common man. So can we hope that someday, we will see Rajat trying his hands at movies giving masses a glimpse of the same on the silver screen too?
My work is inspired by real life, real people and real instances. My stories too are derived from observations and personal experiences.

You have worked with some of the biggest names of Industry like Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Nikhil Advani et al who upto an extent seem to be dealing with different genres of movie making. So, how diverse has the experience of working with both of them been for you?
They are both fantastic story tellers. Both have been very influential in the way I approach the craft, but they also helped me to hone my individuality!

As far as we know, you are good in writing, music, photography, production design and many more arts. So shall we expect that in the years ahead we will be seeing a "complete cine sorcerer" excelling on all these fronts, collectively?
I love to create! Medium doesn't matter! The reason I love cinema is that I get to express through various mediums of expression. Excelling or not, I certainly want to be honest to all!