Selection for Screenwriters’ Lab 2016 is an interesting mix of stories and languages from all over India, a Tamil script,Heart and Soul; two Malayalam scripts– Spirogyra and The Ward; a Bengali script, The Gift; a Punjabi script,Unresolved; and Hindi script, Time To Go


Following an overwhelming number of applications from regional filmmakers, NFDC Labs is excited to support regional cinema from different corners of the country

NFDC India is pleased to announce the six projects selected for the 10th Edition of NFDC Film Bazaar Screenwriters’ Lab.

The Screenwriters’ Lab is part of NFDC Labs’ ongoing initiative to develop original voices and stories from India. The selected participants work with mentors to explore their stories in one-on-one as well as group sessions and master classes. Aimed at domestic as well as international markets, the projects will be pitched to producers and investors in a specially designed session during Film Bazaar 2016. Like the last two years, this edition of the lab will continue its collaboration with Sarajevo International Film Festival.

The selected projects include scripts in various regional languages, a Tamil script, Heart and Soul; two Malayalam scripts- Spirogyra and The Ward; a Bengali script, The Gift; a Punjabi script, Unresolved; and Hindi script, Time To Go.

Following an overwhelming number of applications from regional filmmakers, NFDC Labs is excited to support regional cinema from different corners of the country.

The selection for 2016 is an interesting mix of stories and languages from all over India.

1.Heart and Soul (Tamil)
Hari Hara Sudhan is a Direction & Screenwriting student of Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute. Beforejoining film school, Hari trained under Balu Mahendra in Chennai.

2. Spirogyra (Malayalam)

Abhilash Vijayan is an emerging filmmaker whose short film Dwand (The Dual) and short documentary

That Elephant From the Bridge have won several national and international awards, apart from travelling toseveral international festivals. Abhilash holds a post-graduate Diploma in Direction and Screenplay Writing from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

3. The Gift (Bengali)

Tamal Sen studied Direction and Screenplay writing from the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, Kolkata. His graduation film, Still Voices won the Special Prize at the 58th Columbus International Film & Video Festival USA, and won an Honourable Mention at the Los Angeles Reel Film Festival 2010, among many others.

4. The Ward (Malayalam)

Kris Rajan has worked as an editor on two-time academy award nominee John Sayles’ latest feature, Go ForSisters. His short films have screened at numerous international film festivals. Kris has been a researcher,writer, and editor on numerous commissioned and independent feature documentaries. He studied Film Directing at New York University’s Film program, where he was awarded the sole “Technisphere Award” for outstanding creative achievement.

5. Time To Go (Hindi)

Mansi Jain is a writer – director who has recently co-written and associate directed Moh Maya Money, a crime drama. Her short film Lunch Lady was in official selection at many major film festivals. 42nd and Bombay, her short film screenplay, was awarded the prestigious $10,000 grant by Panavision at Columbia University Film Festival 2015. Mansi has also assisted Rajat Kapoor on Ankhon Dekhi (Before My Eyes, 2013). Currently she is a thesis year MFA screenwriting-directing candidate at Columbia University.

6. Unresolved (Punjabi)

Vikram Singh is a writer – director who has recently written and director a comedy feature for children.He has worked with India’s largest advertising agencies, producing and directing commercials for some of India’s biggest brands. In 2001 Vikram moved to Mumbai and joined UTV in their ADs division as a director of commercials and corporate videos. Since then he has written several scripts on spec.