Ever since he was a little boy, Yagnam Dhroov loved everything about movies.

Growing up in a small town in India, the self-professed film geek would voraciously consume films on the internet. He also made his own movies, and it was that passion for filmmaking that brought him to Humber Polytechnic.

Yagnam, who prefers to go by his first name for cultural reasons, first took the TV Writing and Producing program followed by Film and Multiplatform Storytelling. Yagnam laughed that, before he got to Humber, he felt he knew quite a lot about filmmaking. His time at Humber changed his mind.

“It was so impactful being at Humber. I remember going to my first class and meeting professors who are professional writers and had been on film and TV sets. It was a big challenge because I suddenly found out I wasn’t as good as I thought I was.”

His time at Humber taught Yagnam effective writing, industry standards and through it all he was encouraged to develop his voice. For the Film and Multiplatform Storytelling program, he wrote a feature film as his capstone project.

“Both of these programs were fundamentally enriching experiences for me,” said Yagnam. “I much more clearly understand the writing and filmmaking process and I know I’m a much better writer and filmmaker now than before I came to Humber.”

Yagnam put those newly refined talents to good use after being selected to participate in the Canada’s Walk of Fame’s Future Storytellers program, an initiative dedicated to discovering and empowering the next generation of film talent. His short film is about Linda Schuyler, the co-creator of Degrassi and a 2023 Canada’s Walk of Fame inductee. Yagnam’s vignette explores the personal connection Schuyler shares with the youth culture phenomenon.   

Yagnam was looking for internships when an email about the Future Storytellers program landed in his inbox. The opportunity to get paid and be a director proved irresistible to Yagnam, who applied.

Getting a chance to use high-end equipment on a professional set with a seasoned crew to make a film was an experience Yagnam craved.  

“Until then I had just been making films on my own and now, I was on the most professional set of my life, and I was the director,” said Yagnam. “It was fantastic to have this talented crew who wanted to listen to my ideas as a first-time director. It gave me a lot of confidence and is a big advantage to have on my resume.”

However, he was asked to film Schuyler and Yagnam admitted he wasn’t familiar with Degrassi but knew of its reach and relevance as he was told by countless Canadians about its impact.

He watched as much of the show as possible to prepare himself for his interview with Schuyler. In the end, he had to take his hour-long interview and cut it down to just three minutes.  

Yagnam is proud of what he created. There are many different aspects of Schuyler and her career and life that he found fascinating and wanted to include but couldn’t. In the end, he feels he drilled down to Schuyler’s essence and was able to bring that out in the film.

To learn more about the Future Storytellers program or to watch Yagnam’s film, visit the Canada’s Walk of Fame website.

Humber Polytechnic is more than just a place for higher education. It's a place where students come to reach their full potential; where they can find the person they knew was in them all along. In this Spotlight Series, part of Humber's The You You Knew Was In You campaign, we're highlighting current students and alumni who found the you that was in them, and gained their edge at Humber. Learn more by visiting humber.ca/you.