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What happens when you bet on yourself and send one bold DM? For Karan Wadhwa, it led straight to working under Rajkumar Hirani on the set of Sanju. That single risk didn’t just open a door, it launched a career that now bridges Bollywood’s biggest productions and the grind of indie filmmaking in LA.
In this episode of Chai with Champs, Karan shares the unfiltered truths of navigating both Bollywood and indie cinema, from wearing three hats on an Abhishek Bachchan feature in LA, to the mistakes filmmakers make on the festival circuit, to the realities of building credibility without film school credentials. If you’ve ever wondered how to actually step into the industry, this conversation is the blueprint.
Chai with Champs is the Center Stage for South Asian Cinema Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithchamps/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RitikaAgrawalll
[00:00] - Welcome to the Episode
[02:00] - Who is Karan Wadhwa?
[04:00] - Childhood Dreams That Led to Filmmaking
[08:25] - From DM’ing Boman Irani to Working on Sanju
[15:43] - Behind the Scenes of Bollywood’s Biggest Productions
[25:32] - Wearing 3 Hats on I Want to Talk with Abhishek Bachchan
[29:30] - Building a Production Company, Finding Your Tribe & Film Festival Magic
[39:30] - Why Financial Freedom Unlocks Creative Freedom
[44:06] - Spill the Chai, Chai with Champs’ Rapid Fire
[48:27] - Advice to Karan’s Younger Self
[50:30] - Bringing South Asian Cinema on Center Stage
