A film that impacted you 
Definitely "Highway" by Imtiaz Ali. It is a story about Veera and Mahabir, who come from different walks of life and are initially repulsive of each other, but find themselves deeply connected and closer towards the end of the film. I make it sound romantic, but it is so unexpectedly haunting. 

I call it a 'fever' film because when I saw it the first time, I was 13 years old and I remember waking up from a nap and feeling painfully hollow on the inside, as if something tragic had happened in my own life. I absolutely love it when a film does that to me. 

Which city inspires you?
I do not have any attachments to a city at this stage in life. It has been over two years since I moved out of my house and I am very grateful for being on a constant move. The moment I begin to stay in a city for long, I start to resent the mundanity of it. I believe this is how 20s are supposed to make me feel, always restless and always in search of something different. 

I am hopeful I will find a city that inspires me, I am still searching for it.

What is great about modern life?

Nothing! We should immediately return to caves, eat berries and make art. 

(But, the ability to appreciate history is so modern. Hence, I am confused!)

Which cinema do you love and why?

Cinema by women, for women.

I have always been fond of seeing women in art. As a kid I used to love drawing women. I thought (and still think) we were the most beautiful, complicated, powerful and complete beings. This naturally extended to films and narratives. 

No one interprets and represents women better than women themselves. 

So, it does not matter which language the film is in or what genre it follows, if it has women in it whole-heartedly and unabashedly, I would immediately book tickets for it!

Major creative reference/or filmmaker 

Oh! Can I quote a couple of them? I love fantasy and the 'un-realistic' fictional narratives.

So, I am a huge fan of how Alberto Mielgo builds his universe in his haunting animated films, how Tim Burton visualises his odd-looking big eyed and memorable characters and perhaps how Rahi Anil Barve used native heritage to create a twisted tale of greed. 

And, I also feel like we often don't talk about background scores enough, they really do make the heroes out of some films.

I am from India and I truly think that AR Rahman is a living legend when it comes to cinematic music. You could give him any film and he would make sure the film would linger with you, echoing in your heart through his music. I also absolutely love what Sufjan Stevens did with Call Me by Your Name. And, lastly, have you seen Girls Will be Girls? You need to hear the unsettling background scores in the film composed by Pierre Oberkampf.