Sumter's Next Generation, presented by SumterEDGE: Thomas Sumter's Omnaa Patel reels about film debut, importance of believing in yourself

Sometimes, our greatest gifts are the ones we don't see within ourselves.

They're gifts that showcase qualities about us that delight others and solidify defining moments in our lives. Take Thomas Sumter Academy senior Omnaa Patel, 17, for example.

While idling at an airport in 2017, Omnaa and her dad met Jay Raval, a childhood actor from India and film director. The trio were enjoying their conversation, getting to know about the seasoned actor and his entertainment endeavors, which included working on his first short film, "Kevin Patel - At Your Service."

"You know, my daughter, I see her somewhere," Omnaa's dad told the director. Be it in film or a television series, he envisioned his daughter sharing her gift of acting with the world. Omnaa, on the other hand, didn't see it the same way. As a volleyball player, she considered herself as more of the athletic type. But she has vivid memories of reciting lines from her favorite Indian TV comedy series, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, as a child. Her mother and grandmother were consumed with laughter at her precious execution. To her, it was the making of fond memories. To her parents, it was the early stages of a star.

Omnaa would, too, see it when Jay reached out to the family in 2023, offering a then 14-year-old Omnaa a role in his first short film as "Riya." "Kevin Patel - At Your Service," streaming on JoJo and YouTube, follows Kevin, a young businessman, who mentors Meet, a teen chasing materialism. Kevin guides Meet on a journey to realize his mother's sacrifices and learn to value of tradition, family and hard work.

There were weeks of reading and reciting lines before Omnaa, along with her dad, flew to Atlanta, Georgia, for a week to film her scene. This exposed the young teen to a new side of film and entertainment, one that was as interesting and informative as it was overwhelming.

"I feel like when we watch a film, we really don't think of what it takes for a character in that scene or that emotion, we don't really think of that until I had to do it myself. I realized, 'Oh wait, this is hard,'" she explained. "There was a scene where the camera was right up to my face and I couldn't look at the camera and I had to look at someone else instead, and it was tempting; I tried my best to hold it back. I think those are the new things that I learned."

Though short, Omnaa's 15-minute scene features an emotional monologue, delivered in the Gujarati language, where her character shares how the independence gained after moving to the United States pales in comparison to the love and support of her family back home.

"My line is, I'm answering a question back to him where he asks, 'Do you miss home?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, but what do I do now? I'm thankful you gave me a job here and everything and I'm getting along with everyone. They're like a family to me, but I still miss my parents,'" Omnaa translated. "'I miss them no matter what happens; no matter wherever I move, I still miss them any time. I just miss how whenever I had dinner, my mom wouldn't give me anything cold; she would give me everything heated up, and she wouldn't eat until I would sit down and eat.'"

It would take nearly two years for the film to be released. Once she finally saw herself - and her father, who would fill in for a missing role at the last minute - on the screen, she could see the gift her family highlighted in her all those years ago.

"My mom said, 'One day, I see your name on TV' and I said, 'No, I don't think so.' Now, 2023 comes, I did a movie, and we watched it on TV and it's like, she was right."

"Kevin Patel - At Your Service" has earned a fair share of recognition, being selected for several domestic and international film festivals. With one awarding film on her resume, Omnaa will add a second soon after wrapping up filming in Atlanta for another movie this past April.

Though still new to acting, it has secured a spot on Omnaa's list of hobbies. Post-graduation, you can find her locally, studying business at USC Sumter or on the volleyball court. But if she's not there, when the time permits and the role presents itself, you can find Omnaa on a movie set and her name in the list of film credits.

For aspiring actors, determined directors and creatives who crave sharing their creations, Omnaa assures that no one will believe in your gifts more than you do, so start there.

"Believe in yourself first. If you think about others' opinions, you're not gonna get anywhere. You have to believe in yourself before you try to believe in others," she shared. "And No. 2, just be calm. If you think with a mindset that you're just going to get it done, you're not going to succeed with it. You have one life, so do what you love."