Channel Title: Screenwriters Association Channel Description: The Screenwriters Association (SWA, formerly Film Writers' Association - Regd. Under the Trade Union Act 1926, Regd. No. 3726) is a Trade Union of screenwriters and lyricists who work for Films, TV and Digital Media in India. Authors, novelists, playwrights, journalists who aspire for to diversify or join fulltime the mediums of films, TV or Digital entertainment, are also members of the SWA. <video> The Writer’s Dilemma: Art, Activism, and Politics Description: Title: The Writer’s Dilemma: Art, Activism, and Politics Date: 25th September, 2024 (Wednesday) Time: 5:30 pm Venue: Veda Kunba Theatre, Panelists: 1. Preeti Mamgain is an award-winning screenwriter, actor, and producer. She's known for her work in TV shows like Jassi Jaisa Koi Nahin, Bade Achhe Lagte Hain & Mere Dad Ki Dulhan as well as web series such as Hum, Tum & Them, Out of Love and films like Saat Din & Voh Bhoori Aankhon Wala Ladka. She is currently serving as the President at SWA and also heads its Dispute Settlement Committee. 2. Purva Naresh is an acclaimed Indian playwright and director, with over 15 plays written and 7 directed, known for integrating music in her work. Her productions have been showcased at major Indian festivals and Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai. She has received several awards, including the Ladli Media Award, Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, and Safdar Hashmi Puraskar. A trained Kathak dancer and Pakhawaj player, Purva is also a graduate of FTII, Pune, and has worked in the film industry as a writer and producer for over 20 years. 3. Onir, born in Bhutan, is an acclaimed Indian filmmaker, producer, and screenwriter known for his bold storytelling. His film My Brother... Nikhil was one of the first mainstream Hindi films to address AIDS and same-sex relationships. He won the National Award for Best Film (Hindi) for I AM, which explored issues like LGBTQI rights and child abuse. In 2023, Onir was honored with the Rainbow Warrior Award for Pine Cone at the KASHISH Pride Film Festival, and his biography I Am Onir and I Am Gay won the Likho Award for Outstanding Book. Moderator: Avinash Das began his career as a journalist, working in both print and television, where he honed his skills in storytelling. With a passion for exploring new ways of narrating human experiences, he transitioned into the world of cinema. His journey from journalism to filmmaking reflects his continuous pursuit of creative expression, always seeking to push the boundaries of conventional narratives. His notable works include Anaarkali of Aarah, She, Runaway Lugaai, Raat Baaki Hai, and Munuren: The Ordinary People. </video> <video> क्या चल रहा है? - Trends and Challenges in Our Industry Today Description: Event title: क्या चल रहा है? - Trends and Challenges in Our Industry Today Date: 19th June 2024 (Wednesday) Time: 6:30 PM Venue: Veda Kunba Theatre Panelists: Gaurav Verma is a film producer known for movies like 'Jawan', 'Darlings', and 'Badla'. With over 26 years in the film industry, he has produced acclaimed films such as 'Kaamyaab', 'Bob Biswas' and 'Class of 83' and worked on Netflix originals like 'Bard of Blood' & 'Betaal'. He also served as COO of Red Chillies Entertainment and has extensive experience in film distribution and exhibition. Anu Singh Choudhary is an award-winning screenwriter, author, and ex-journalist, known for co-writing 'Aarya,' 'Grahan,' 'Scoop,' and 'Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video'. She co-founded Dopamine Media & Entertainment and has written and directed 'The Good Girl Show.' An acclaimed author of bestsellers like 'Neela Scarf,' and 'Bhali Ladkiyaan, Buri Ladkiyaan', she has also translated works by notable authors into Hindi. Anu began her career at NDTV and has received numerous awards, including the Ramnath Goenka Award and Filmfare OTT Awards. Biswapati Sarkar is a screenwriter and producer working with Posham Pa Pictures, the creators of Netflix shows like 'Maamla Legal Hai' and 'Kaala Paani'. He is also the writer of web series such as 'Kaala Paani', 'Pitchers S1' and 'Permanent Roommates S1-S2' and films like 'Jaadugar', 'Fighter' and the upcoming 'Logout'. Lohita Phooken is a media professional with 15 years of experience in content development for film and TV. She has consulted for producers and led the content development team at Clean Slate Filmz. At Netflix, she worked on shows like 'Sacred Games', 'Little Things', 'Delhi Crime', 'Mismatched', 'Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives', 'Guns & Gulaabs', 'Mai', and 'Killer Soup' from pitch to launch. Moderator: Satyanshu Singh is a National Award-winning filmmaker, writer, and professor of cinema. Known for his debut feature 'Chintu Ka Birthday' and the web series 'Jehanabad,' he is currently working on a series with Vikramaditya Motwane. He has taught for 13 years and has mentored students and projects from all over India including institutions like SRFTI and Whistling Woods and co-authored the Hindi screenwriting book 'Idea Se Parde Tak.' </video> <video> SWA AWARDS 2024_SUBMIT YOUR ENTRIES NOW Description: A legend once said, 'Kehte hain agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho toh puri kainaat usse tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai' Why wait for the stars to align? Nominate yourself and let that dream award land in your hands! No memberships, no fees—just your star power and a sprinkle of magic! Take action now! Submit your nominations and watch that coveted award become your reality. More info at awards@swaindia.org or visit our website. Link in bio. #JoinTheHallOfFame #SubmitNow #5thSWAAwards #CreativityOnFire #InkYourDreams #nominatenow #5thapril </video> <video> SWA Awards 2024 Ceremony LIVE Description: Fifth Edition of SWA Awards LIVE from Taj Lands End, Bandra </video> <video> Have you filed your nominations yet? Don't miss the April 5 deadline. Description: #SWAAwards2024 </video> <video> New Voices Description: New Voices Date:13th November 2024 (Wednesday) Time: 5:30 pm Venue: Veda Kunba Theatre Panelists: Akshay Parvatkar is a writer-director from Goa and a graduate of the Screenwriting program from the Film and Television Institute of India. He has made several acclaimed documentaries and short films, including Grandmother’s School, The First Wedding (which won a Filmfare Award) and Gunchakkar (which he co-wrote and is streaming on Amazon Mini TV). Akshay has been part of multiple writers' rooms and development teams with notable production houses like Bharatbala Pictures, Creativeland Asia, Contiloe Pictures, and T-Series, and served as lead writer for a TVF show. His talents earned him the 2024 Keep Walking Fellowship by Film Companion, which included attending the Cannes Film Festival and the production of a short film he will be writing & directing. Suchita Ranglani has studied Screenwriting at Whistling Woods International, where she was presented with the “Excellence in Screenwriting Award 2015-2016”. Since then, she has been working professionally as a screenwriter. She has written commissioned feature films for Ronnie Screwvala Productions [RSVP], Drishyam Films, and Athena Productions. She has recently sold her spec screenplay that she co-wrote and that is currently in its pre-production stage. Suchita has previously worked at companies like UTV and Viacom18, as an assistant director on ad films and web series, and has also been a Young Critic at the (MAMI) Mumbai Film Festival 2015. Yashna Malhotra is a graduate of the UCLA School of Theater Film and Television, where she earned her MFA in Screenwriting. Her writing has been recognized by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Film Independent and the Museum of the Moving Image, among others. Yashna also holds an MSc in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University in Chicago. Prior to pursuing screenwriting, she worked in advertising in Mumbai, Chicago and New York, where she helped inject a sense of storytelling/brand personification to well-known international and local brands. Yashna currently has projects in different stages of development for global streaming platforms. Moderator: Satyanshu Singh is a National Award-winning filmmaker, writer, and professor of cinema. Known for his debut feature 'Chintu Ka Birthday' and the web series 'Jehanabad,' he is currently working on a series with Vikramaditya Motwane. He has taught for 13 years and has mentored students and projects from all over India including institutions like SRFTI and Whistling Woods and co-authored the Hindi screenwriting book 'Idea Se Parde Tak.' Satyanshu has been a consultant for producers and studios in India and is a mentor at development labs for international Neflix projects. </video> <video> SWA Awards Roundtable 2024 Description: Date: 10th August 2024 Venue: The Celebration Sports Club, Lokhandwala. Roundtable with the winners of SWA Awards 2024 across Films, Television, Web Series & Lyrics. </video> <video> रमता जोगी: An Event Celebrating Anand Bakshi Ji's Birth Anniversary Description: An evening filled with music, memories, and inspiration. Guest speakers: Subhash Ghai, Rumy Jafry, Sameer Anjaan, Tanuja Chandra, Uttam Singh, Rakesh Anand Bakshi & Divy Nidhi Sharma. Event details: Date: 21st July 2024 (Sunday) Time: 5:00 PM Venue: Veda Kunba Theatre </video> <video> Sab Khairiyat? Description: “Sab Khairiyat?,” is conversation with writers to simply ask if they are doing okay. Our panel includes a diverse set of voices who will share the anxieties that come with writing, the overwhelming deadlines, the distress of feedback, the despair of a writer’s block and the sheer delight of seeing your credit on screen. In this heart-to-heart session we will try to acknowledge matters of mental health that are ailing writers in the industry today and maybe even understand how we can heal from it. Panelists: Ishani Banerjee, Preeti Mamgain, Adhiraj Sharma & Mitesh Shah. Moderator: Anjum Rajabali Date: 22nd May 2024 (Wednesday) Time: 5:30 PM Venue: Veda Kunba Theatre </video> <video> Vartalaap with Sooraj Barjatya Description: Date: 21st August 2024 (Wednesday) Time: 5:30 PM Venue: Veda Kunba Theatre, Andheri West Moderator- Zaman Habib, Hon. Gen. Secretary, SWA </video> <video> 7th INDIAN SCREENWRITERS CONFERENCE / LOGO REVEAL 2025 Description: "Calling all storytellers! The 7th Indian Screenwriters Conference is just around the corner. 🖋✨ 📅 Dates: 14th, 15th, & 16th February 2025 📍 Venue: Sheila Gopal Raheja Auditorium, Bandra (W) Join the brightest minds in screenwriting and explore the art of storytelling like never before. Don’t wait—secure your spot today! #IndianScreenwritersConference #Screenwriting #Storytelling #RegisterNow" </video> <video> Vartalaap with Sneha Desai Description: Event details: Date: 30th April 2024 (Tuesday) Time: 5:30 PM Venue: Veda Kunba Theatre With a career of over two decades in the media and entertainment industry, Sneha Desai has made her mark in acting, playwriting, lyrics writing and screenwriting. Her work includes more than 1200 shows on the Gujarati stage, title song lyrics for plays, TV shows and films, scriptwriting for several TV serials like R.K.Laxman Ki Duniya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Pushpa Impossible. She has also published four plays and has also acted in several TV serials and feature films. She made her feature film debut in screenwriting this year with the critically acclaimed film Laapataa Ladies and her next feature Maharaj is slated for release later this year. The session will be moderated by Hitesh Kewalya, an award-winning filmmaker known for Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, a rib-tickling comedy addressing erectile dysfunction, and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, which tackled the issue of homophobia. Raised in a sarcastic middle-class joint family, he values comedy for understanding life's nuances. His talent for romance and humor emerged during his All India Radio days at the age of 18. Before moving to films, he wrote and directed many award winning short films like Is Modh Pe Kuch Nahin Hota and Rhythmatics and wrote several TV shows like Miley Jab Hum Tum and Is Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon. He is currently working on a fiction series for a major OTT platform and his next feature film's pre-production. </video> <video> Beyond Bechdel Test: Writing Strong Female Characters for Screen Description: Beyond Bechdel Test: Writing Strong Female Characters for Screen Date:16th October 2024 (Wednesday) Time: 5:30 pm Venue: Veda Kunba Theatre Our Panelists: (In alphabetical order) Aparajita Sharma started out in direction a little over two decades ago and then discovered the writer in herself. She began writing for Indian Television with Jeevan Saathi (on Colors) in 2008. Kitani Mohabbat Hai 2, Rang Badalti Odhani and Rabb Se Sona Ishq are some of her earlier works for Screenplay and Dialogues. She later transitioned to writing dialogues as a team with Divy Nidhi Sharma, and together they have written for Anupamaa, Imlie, Ye Rishta Kya Kahlaata Hai, Kulfi Kumaar Baajewaala, Kuch Rang Pyaar Ke Aise Bhi, Ishqbaaz, Qubool Hai and Suvreen Guggal - Topper of the Year to name a few. Ishita Moitra is an award-winning Indian screenwriter known for her sharp dialogue and captivating storytelling. She gained recognition for her work on the 2023 film Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, earning Filmfare and IIFA Awards for Best Dialogue and Original Story. Ishita is also the creator of the Amazon Prime series Call Me Bae, and has contributed to hit shows like Four More Shots Please, Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, and The Test Case, as well as films like Shakuntala Devi and Mere Dad Ki Maruti. With a strong focus on feminist perspectives, she continues to create impactful content while balancing life in Mumbai with her writer-director husband and their young daughter. Nimisha Pandey is a National Award winning director and alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Nimisha has been working in the media industry for two decades. After leading television shows like Jyoti, Arjun and Qubool Hai - Nimisha played an integral part in shaping the OTT landscape in the country. She spearheaded the launch of ALT Balaji in 2017 with shows like Test Case, Romil Jugal, Code M and Apaharan making ALT the first Indian OTT success story. She went on to build a series slate at Netflix and then led Zee5 into spotlight with shows like Mukhbir, Taj, Sunflower, Rangbaaz and The Broken News. Raj Shekhar is a lyricist who made his debut with the 2011 film Tanu Weds Manu. He went on to write lyrics for other notable films including Ghani Bawri from Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Aise Kyun from Mismatched, Beh Chala from Uri: The Surgical Strike. He has also written songs for films like Tumbbad, Veere Di Wedding, and Hichki. His recent hits were Pehle Bhi Main and Papa Meri Jaan from Animal. He has received the SWA Awards for Best Lyrics for the songs Aise Kyun from Mismatched Season 2 and Pehle Bhi Main from Animal. He has also been awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in recognition of his remarkable contributions to lyric writing. Sujoy Ghosh is a screenwriter, director and producer. Ghosh is credited with pioneering multiplex films in Bollywood with his debut Jhankaar Beats. His mystery-thriller Kahaani earned him several awards, including a National Film Award for Best Screenplay and Filmfare Award for Best Director and Best Screenplay. His short film Ahalya set the trend for mainstream directors making digital films. Badla, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu, won him further recognition and acclaim. Recently, he directed Jaane Jaan and contributed to Lust Stories 2, further showcasing his versatility in the thriller and anthology formats. Moderator: Zaman Habib, is a senior screenwriter, lyricist and producer working in the Indian Television industry. His career began with writing plays and serials for Radio in Delhi. Soon he started writing for Television and went on to write several episodes for Hindi & Bengali shows. He has written serials such as Pyaar Ka Dard hai Meetha Meetha pyaara Pyaara, Sasural Genda Phool, , Nimki Mukhiya, Nimki Vidhayak, Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein, Sapna Babul Ka... Bidaai, Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai, & Saas Bina Sasural. He is currently the script consultant of Anupamaa. He has also been actively associated with writers' rights and is currently serving as the General Secretary of Screenwriters Association. </video> <video> Have you filed your nominations yet? Description: Don't miss the April 5 deadline. #SWAAwards2024 #SWA #submissionsopen #renukashahane </video> <video> Vartalaap with Puneet Krishna Description: Event details: Date: 18th December 2024 (Wednesday) Time: 5:00 PM Venue: Veda Kunba Theatre, Andheri West Puneet Krishna is an engineer and MBA who transitioned from the corporate world to pursue his passion for storytelling. As a Co-Writer and Lyricist, he contributed to Excel Entertainment’s film Bangistan. He further established himself in the digital entertainment space as the Showrunner, Creator, and Lead Writer of Amazon Prime's acclaimed series Mirzapur (Seasons 1 and 2). Most recently, he served as the Producer, Showrunner, Creator, Lead Writer, and Co-Director of Netflix's hit series Tribhuvan Mishra: CA Topper. Moderator: Vibha Singh is a writer-director having worked on Hindi films like Mardaani, Sur, Kismat Konnection, Housefull and Dharm amongst others. A three-time Filmfare award nominee, she has worked on several successful OTT shows like Heeramandi, Grahan, The Test Case and Bewafaa sii Wafaa.. She has written TV shows like Dhai Kilo Prem, Saas Bina Sasural, Bidaai and more. She is also a lyricist and author of books: A thriller, A Convenient Culprit (Penguin Random House) and a children’s book, Princess Pernita and her voyage to the land of Plenty (Harper Collins). She has directed two short films, Mystery Man and Killer on the Rampage and is currently working on her debut directorial feature. </video>

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The Screenwriters Association (SWA, formerly Film Writers' Association - Regd. Under the Trade Union Act 1926, Regd. No. 3726) is a Trade Union of screenwriters and lyricists who work for Films, TV and Digital Media in India. Authors, novelists, playwrights, journalists who aspire for to diversify or join fulltime the mediums of films, TV or Digital entertainment, are also members of the SWA.

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