Interview · 8 min read · 18 October 2026
Ishani Rao on producing films nobody else would fund
Three of her five films were refused by every studio. Here is how she made them anyway.
Ishani Rao keeps a folder of rejection letters. She reads one before every new film.
Why the refusals matter to you
"A refusal tells you what the market already has," she says. "That is useful. It means the film is needed."
How the money comes
She raises money film by film, from people who love a story more than a return. She shows them the script, the budget line by line, and the date they will be repaid. "A budget is a list of promises. I read it every night."
What she pays first
Every crew member is paid before she is. "The crew eats first. That rule has cost me money and saved every film."