Award winner Asif Kapadia is one of contemporary cinema’s most distinctive voices, moving fluidly between documentary and fiction to explore the lives of extraordinary figures caught at pivotal moments of transformation. His innovative approach strips away traditional documentary techniques, weaving intimate archival footage into immersive theatrical experiences—as seen in his groundbreaking films SENNA, AMY, and DIEGO MARADONA. From his fiction debut THE WARRIOR, shot in the Indian desert with Irrfan Khan, to his Arctic-set drama FAR NORTH with Michelle Yeoh, Kapadia consistently gravitates toward stories of isolation and resilience. Born to working-class immigrant parents in Hackney, London, he studied at the Royal College of Art before forging a career that would bridge cultural divides. Beyond features, he’s brought his cinematic sensibility to television with MINDHUNTER and THE ME YOU CAN’T SEE. His latest works—FEDERER, capturing the tennis icon’s farewell, and the future-set 2073—continue his exploration of individuals facing moments of profound personal and societal change.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I’m normally in the edit
Working on a project
With a team of researchers
Working on ideas
Looking at edits
Who to interviews
Collaborating with my editors
How do you bring ideas to life?
Gut instinct – what is on my mind? What stays with me?
Team work
Interviews
Questions
Archive research
What’s one trend that excites you?
People who want to collaborate, learn and work hard
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I make a lot of projects at the same time
Projects overlap
I never know which project will happen
Which will not
So I don’t worry
I make a series, work on a script, a small film, and a large project all at the same time
What advice would you give your younger self?
Life is a struggle
Stay off social media
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
Television is the death of culture
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Travel, see the world, meet people; there would be a lot less hate, fear of the other, wars and racism if people traveled more
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Lie down in a dark room
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Cover your bases
Made a lot of projects at the same time
So you’re never desperate when negotiating a deal
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Many failures
Awful experience during a studio film in the US made me realize I don’t want to live in LA
It’s lonely
I like Europe
Feel European
I had to walk away and save Myself
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
You’re only as good as your team
Cast your crew as you would an actor
Life is too short to work with people with bad karma
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
A notebook and a sharp pencil
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
A decent set of noise reducing headphones are a life saver but they cost more
I would say
Thermal underwear!! (It’s cold right now!)
Your can’t think or work if you’re cold or ill
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Empire – William Dyrymple
Autobiography of Malcolm X
Hitchcock / Truffaut
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
No Other Land