Success in the Creative Industry Has No Shortcut. Here’s How to Earn It.

A career in the arts doesn’t follow a script. It’s full of false starts, sudden shifts, and moments that challenge everything you thought you knew about yourself and your work. But in the end, it’s a story worth telling. The question then is: where do you begin and how do you make it work?

Few people understand this landscape better than Roshan Abbas; radio host, TV anchor, theatre actor, film director, author, entrepreneur, and one of India’s most influential voices in media and entertainment. With several national-level awards for TV and radio to his name, Roshan co-founded Kommune in 2015, a performing arts collective for storytellers. He also helped conceptualise the Spoken Festival, bringing together performers from across the world for storytelling, poetry, spoken word, and song. With over three decades of experience across storytelling, broadcasting, and live experiences, he’s seen it all: the struggle, the reinvention, the moments when passion turns into something tangible. For those looking to carve a career in the creative sector, his insights are part hard-won wisdom, part wake-up call.

“I haven’t worked a day in 30 years,” he says with a quiet confidence. “Because I’ve only done things I love.” It’s a statement that cuts through the noise. It reminds us that when passion meets profession, the two blur into one. What you do then is not work, but a way of life.

On Finding Your Place in the Industry
A career in creativity doesn’t come with a clock to punch. You’re immersing yourself in a world that will pull at your edges, challenge you to dig deeper, think bigger, and create harder. It’s a place where finding your true calling often comes only after trying on many different roles.

Roshan draws inspiration from a famous quote by Walt Disney, who said, “You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world… but it requires people to make the dream a reality.” He firmly believes that creative individuals, through their work, have the power to make the world a much more magical place. He goes on to explain, “Great art soothes the disturbed and disturbs the ones who are soothed.” For him, the true value of creativity lies in its ability to provoke thought and spark imagination. If your work can inspire people to think deeply and envision new possibilities, then, in his eyes, there is no better way to spend your time.

The Real Work Behind the Fame
There’s a myth that the world of entertainment is built on glamour, fame, and instant success. Roshan knows this is far from the truth. “It’s not glamorous,” he says. “In fact, there’s a lot of quiet work behind the scenes. It’s about finding the people who can help you build what you want to build.”

Success in this field does not announce itself in loud moments of victory. It’s the long, steady work of gathering the right people around you, finding those who will help carry your vision, and knowing when to move with purpose—without waiting for applause. The most significant progress often comes in the spaces where no one is watching, in the deliberate act of building something that’s bigger than just one person. “I genuinely think that if we can put out work that asks the right questions, that makes people think, that makes people imagine, that builds new worlds in their minds, what can be a better thing to occupy your day with?”

The Importance of Internships and Starting Small
Internships, Roshan says, are a rite of passage—especially at the beginning. “A lot of unpaid internships are part of the journey when you begin,” he points out, as if it’s simply a fact of the world, not something to be alarmed by. It’s in these early, often underpaid positions that you learn the nuances of the industry—how to show up, how to observe, how to carve your space when the map hasn’t yet been drawn for you. The work isn’t glamorous, but it’s where the groundwork is laid, where the real lessons are found in moments of quiet labor and subtle observation. “And that is important during your student years,” he adds. It’s a rough and humble beginning, one that will shape the way forward. Roshan acknowledges the temptation to focus on the salary, the desire for something grand from the start. “For example, theater depends on grants, and many cultural organisations may even start you at ₹25,000,” he explains, acknowledging the challenge. “But I’ve seen young people find hacks for even something like this.”

The journey, he insists, is not linear. It’s a field where value, more than anything else, dictates growth. Those who show up, who prove their worth, have the chance to rise. He shares, “In my own organisation, I’ve seen someone start at ₹80,000 and go up to twice that amount in a year because the person’s value grew so much.” The key, Roshan emphasises, is that the sector is value-based—if you offer something worthwhile, growth follows. It may not come instantly, but it is almost certain.

The Myths Around the Industry
Roshan tackles the myths that cloud the perception of the creative industry with a quiet certainty. “One of the biggest misconceptions is that this is a poor sector,” he says, the words ringing with conviction. “But the reality is, this sector has been around for a long time, and it’s a healthy, fulfilling, and rewarding space. There is longevity, money, and real work to be done here.”

He recalls a conversation he had with some parents in Allahabad. “If I could guarantee a ₹25,000 check to your kid for doing something creative, would you let them do it?” he asks, remembering their response. The exchange, simple as it was, speaks volumes. Roshan’s point is clear: the creative industry is a viable career. It is, in his eyes, also a career that can sustain and grow over time, despite the initial doubts and struggles.

Hard Work and Discipline: The Cornerstones of Success
For Roshan, success in the creative industry boils down to one fundamental principle: showing up. “I learned this in theater, radio, television, and events—show up. Don’t say, ‘I may get there.’ This is not the ‘I will get there’ business. It’s the ‘I do commit’ business,” he says. For him, commitment and discipline are the bedrock of any career in the creative world. He also adds that in a world increasingly driven by digital presence, building a personal brand is crucial. “Build your personal brand on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube,” he advises. “You don’t need to always be camera-first, but if you’re a writer, use LinkedIn; if you’re a visual artist, use Instagram.” In the age of social media, taking ownership of your online presence can offer long-term rewards, far beyond the immediate gratification of likes and shares.

But beyond the superficial, Roshan is adamant about the need for depth. “Don’t dabble,” he warns. “The problem with social media today is that we are surface-level. Go deep—don’t just scratch the surface. Dig deep and you will find something great.”

In an industry where quick hits can feel seductive, the real work lies in the pursuit of meaning. Roshan’s own journey illustrates that in the creative industry, the rewards come to those who show up, who work tirelessly, and who stay true to their passion. For those who truly love what they do, the path is not only financially fulfilling but also rich in creative freedom. The possibility of shaping new worlds, of building something lasting, is there for anyone willing to commit fully.

Also read:
Freelancing has no map. Here’s how to chart your own path.
Crafting Serendipity where Nitya Iyer of Serendipity Arts Festival discusses her journey in festival programming and production

For more articles on festivals in India, check out our Read section of this website.