Imagine trading a breathtaking view of Kitsilano Beach—one of the most sought-after in Vancouver, for Versova's fishing village stretch. Add to this a job that requires a Canadian-born to run a digital firm that engages exclusively in Marathi content. Paula McGlynn, 29, is the woman behind India's first Marathi YouTube channel, Bharatiya Digital Party or BhaDiPa.

Eleven years ago, when she was finishing high school, McGlynn faced a dilemma. Like several young and restless minds before her, she didn't know where life was taking her. Then, at a geography class, she watched a BBC documentary called Planet Earth. "I was never a film buff, but this documentary was done splendidly. I remember thinking, it doesn't matter what I do with my life as long as I learn filmmaking and make a career of it," she recalls.