The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) announced the six scripts selected for the Screenwriters’ Lab 2013 viz. :

  • Chingari  (The Spark) by Rajesh Jala
  • Dainik (Daily) by Nikhil Mahajan
  • Kaala pani (Dark Waters) by Bela Negi
  • Maa Bhagwatiya IIT Coaching ( Mother Goddess IIT Coaching) by Varun Grover
  • My Brother the Salesman and I by Shanker Raman
  • T se Taj Mahal ((T for Taj Mahal) by Ashish Srivastav

Rajesh Jala has directed award-winning documentaries Children of the Pyre, Floating Lamp of the Shadow Valley and At the Stairs. Nikhil Mahajan has directed documentary Half a Billion Dreams and feature film Pune-52 that premiered at the Mumbai Film Festival last year. Bela Negi directed feature film Daayen Ya Baayen  which released in 2010. Varun Grover has penned lyrics for That Girl in Yellow Boots, Gangs of Wasseypur and Prague. Shanker Raman is a National award winning cinematographer who has worked on films like Patang, Harud, Peepli Live and Frozen. He has also written Frozen and co-written Harud. Ashish Srivastav is a Delhi-based independent filmmaker.

The first session of the Lab will be held in Toronto, during the Toronto Film Festival from September 5 -15, 2013. The second session will be held in Goa, just prior to and during the Film Bazaar from 21 – 24 November, 2013.

The Screenwriters’ Lab 2013 gives an opportunity to six independent screenwriters to develop their skill under the guidance of a variety of industry experts from across the globe. Through one-on-one sessions with their Mentors, the Screenwriter Fellows are advised on tools and techniques required to improve their scripts and methods