The monsoon rain was pelting down on a top Bollywood director’s film set when its leading man walked over, sheltering under a black umbrella. It was 2002, and I was representing Empire magazine - a long way from my early days as a law graduate in Birmingham. The Bollywood legend gestured for me to share his umbrella, and we ended up having an impromptu conversation about world cinema while the crew scrambled to waterproof the equipment.

That moment crystallized what I love most about storytelling - those unexpected human connections that transcend cultural boundaries. Whether I'm travelling and writing about new surroundings, interviewing film stars or listening to someone’s many decades of experience, it's always about finding the authentic story beneath the surface that excites me. My legal training taught me to look for the details others might miss, while a multilingual background helps me navigate the nuances that make each narrative unique.

Be it telling the story of a small family-owned business that finds success and provides for generations to come or flicking through someone’s personal collection of black and white photographs documenting a family history that has seen hardship, war, migration and still found the light in every day, every story is inspiring and unique in its own way. Hearing people narrate their memories reminds me of the filmsets I've visited, where every frame told part of a larger story. That's when I realized that whether I'm critiquing films or crafting travel reviews, I'm essentially doing the same thing - capturing moments that reveal something meaningful about people and places.

Over two decades later, I still get the same thrill from crafting narratives that transport readers, because every story is a journey. I’m just that I’ve been able to make a career out of sharing these journeys with others.