Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hey, my name is Paritosh (you already know that, Agh!!)
I am 20 years old, and I am obsessed with telling stories. I am a Storyteller, a Musician, an Entrepreneur, a Public Speaker and a soon-to-be Author!
I come from a small town called Dehradun. Growing up an introvert in high school, I would always search for ways to EXPRESS emotions, without actually expressing them. Be it through music, art or film-making – which actually came very late into my life.
In high school, I would get super fascinated seeing people applaud and cheer whenever the ‘Tech-Board’ in our school would have their short films play on the big screen in the auditorium. I would always say to myself – “Ay bro, I want my name up there as well!”
So I started sitting next to their work desks in the library, started seeing how things worked out, Overheard them talk about this editing software, Came home, downloaded it, and made the worst possible video ever – which for me (back then) was good enough to make it to the Oscars, by the way!
So that was where it all started for me. A certain craving, turned curiosity, turned passion, turned obsession – that’s filmmaking and storytelling for me now.
Most of your profile in earlier phase contains music and funny videos. How do you relate yourself to music?
Oh yes! So this is one part of me that people are not very aware of. For me, storytelling started with music, and it still is a big part of me.
I started playing the piano when I was 8 years old, the guitar when I was 15, and the harmonica when I turned 18. Music has always been that perfect little form of ‘Escape’ for me. It has helped me TALK without ever saying a word, helped me DREAM without ever going to sleep, helped me SEE IT ALL even with my eyes closed! It’s just been such a vital part of my life.
I used to play for my house in school, after which I got into a band named RutMalang, which performs all over the country. So yes, in the early stages of ‘creating’, it was all about music for me!
Not really looking forward to learn a new instrument, but yes, I really want to release an album of all of my own compositions that came out of the piano whenever I needed it the most.
And also, I have always considered humor to be the stress-buster ever, so whenever I’d come across a weird idea that would make me laugh a little, I would always make sure to make a video on it.
It has always been about the ‘SMILES’. Even if one person puts his phone down with a smile on his/her face after watching my video, I’ve done my job!
You are currently just 20 years old and have already been successful in making a mark in India’s travel V-logging industry (with over 17k youtube followers). How was your journey? What challenges did you face and how you overcame them?
I talked about this in one of my motivational talks earlier this year as well – “Success” for me is not a destination! It’s a very beautiful process that, I believe, everyone is a part of. All of us choose different paths, and shape our own unique definition of “Success”, but, its never the end! It just keeps going. Gotta stay hungry, Gotta do more 24/7!
Well, if we talk about the ‘Journey’, its not been the easiest of all rides. At the age of 17, I made the craziest decision of my life to withdraw from the National Defence Academy, without any idea about how I would proceed with what’s ahead.
There’s never a point in my life where I don’t get criticized, or HATED for this one decision (I’ve legit received DEATH-THREATS for the same, XD), but, for me – as long as I am impacting the growing audience that I have, as long as I am spreading the smiles, as long as I am in the process of achieving financial freedom, as long as I am in the process of chasing my dreams, my passion and HELPING others do the same as well? Bro, I’m good!
It doesn’t end there though. There’s always a side to every public figure that remains hidden. A side that no-one really sees. A side that’s a little painful, a side that has seen challenges, a side that has fought battles that no-one is aware of, a side that has lost, a side that has broken parts waiting to be mended. This side, even though it stays hidden, yet it is also the one that DEFINES the Soul in us!
The challenges, losses, defeats, heart-breaks – they’re always the lessons that help us grow, in every way possible. And well, isn’t that the way to life as well, FORWARD?
Now, some questions on topics other than your professional life-
If you have to name a dance step that defines you, what would that be?
I have never ever been a good dancer, until once (as I’ve been told, because I was a little too ‘not-in-the-best-of-senses to remember XD!).
I am that ‘UNCLE-IN-EVERY-INDIAN-WEDDING’ whenever I’m asked to dance. I would put both of my hands up, move my butt a little and just make my way out of the dance floor.
So yes, my move would be ‘THE UNCLE TWERK’? haha
One thing that you would refuse to share with anyone?
My phone number. Unless you like John Mayer & Sunsets – we can talk!
What is the craziest thing that you have ever done?
The list goes on and on … Its so hard to talk about one.
But yes, I’ve peed inside a moving sleeper-bus into a bottle. I know its more creepy than crazy, but, that was an adventure! Y’all must try. Need to be super lazy and have super precision though, comes with practice, don’t worry about it! xD
What’s the weirdest crush you have ever had?
I am proud to say this out loud – I’ve legit drooled over Hrithik Roshan my entire childhood man! That dude has been my gay-crush forever!!
How would you describe your Entrepreneurial Journey?
I’ve always wanted to work for my own self. Yet to find the ‘WHY’ for it, within me, but that’s what brings out the rush.
I run 2 online businesses:
Number 1 is a Digital Media Marketing/Content Creation & Distribution Agency called ‘WeSmileMedia’ and the other one is an online course that I offer to all the Defence Aspirants called ‘Dream Of The Defence’ (I have scored 3 ALL INDIA RANKS – 6,88,240 – in the SSB’s, which is considered among the toughest interviews/tests to clear in the world. Wanted to put it to good use!)
Would you like to share a little about your book?
Yes, I am writing my first book, titled – The Importance Of Dreams. Its an ultimate guide to every ‘dreamer’ out there, a push that they would need to break out of the norms and DO WHAT THEY LOVE!
Among the greatest aims of this book is to get the poison of ‘REGRET’ out of people.
Can you even imagine yourself, sitting on your death-bed, listing down all the things you couldn’t (DIDN’T!) do and then say to yourself – “Ahh, this was such a waste!”
I can’t. Gotta live, Gotta understand that Dreams are more than just ILLUSIONS. They’re signs, They are the ‘Regrets’ that you gotta click off-of the list!
(But your dreams have to realistic enough as well, okay? You can’t just dream about dating Selena Gomez and then come back to me and say “OH PARITOSH, LOOK, THIS IS NOT HAPPENING, WHAT DO I DO WITH YOUR BOOK NOW?!” – that dream is already taken 😉 )
