India's Writers Ink Unveils Mentors & Line-Up Of 13 Projects For Fourth Annual Lab

India’s Writers Ink Institute has revealed the 13 projects selected for the fourth edition of its  annual Screenwriting Lab, which is being mentored by leading filmmakers RS Prasanna, Satyanshu Singh and Amit Masurkar.
 
RS Prasanna directed Sitaare Zameen Par, produced by and starring Aamir Khan in 2025; Satyanshu Singh scripted Netflix hit series Black Warrant, which he co-created with Vikramaditya Motwane; while Amit Masurkar has writing and directing credits including Sherni, Newton and Sulemani Keeda. In addition, producer Monisha Thyagarajan (Delhi Crime, The Hunt For Veerappan) has joined the lab as external jury.
 
Chosen from more than 200 submissions, the 13 selected projects explore themes of identity, family, love, politics, migration, disability, faith and social change, across multiple Indian languages and genres (see more details below).
 
The lab runs each year from April to July, during which 30 selected writers study screenwriting and develop their feature film scripts. Among these, 10-15 writers are shortlisted to pitch their projects in August to producers.
 
This year, the 13 selected writers will pitch their projects at the Writers Ink annual pitchfest on August 22. Final prizes for the writers include one $10,000 development grant; one opportunity to participate in the Tasveer Film Market, which takes place in Seattle in October; and three one-month mentorships, which take place in September.
 
“Every powerful film begins with a powerful script. Yet screenwriters have historically had limited access to structured training, mentorship and industry opportunities in India,” said Anshulika Dubey, founder and executive director of The Writers Ink Institute.
 
“Our mission is to change that by building a world-class ecosystem where writers can develop their craft, find their voice and build sustainable careers. The thirteen projects selected this year are deeply original, emotionally resonant and rooted in the incredible diversity of India. We are excited to support these writers as they shape the next generation of Indian cinema.”
 
Writers Ink was launched in 2022 by Dubey, an ex-McKinsey analyst and producer with credits including Mandela, Aamis and Once Upon A Time In Calcutta. The institute’s  Feature Film Lab is headed by Gabrielle Kelly, faculty at the American Film Institute Conservatory and a Sundance mentor and BAFTA member; along with instructors Shinho Lee (AFI, Tisch NYU), Terrie Samundra (AFI, Sundance), Aviv Rubinstien (Emerson) and Mian Adnan Ahmed (Loyola Marymount, Berlinale Talents).
 
Since its inception, the Institute has conducted four annual Feature Film Screenwriting Labs, training 120 writers and facilitating $42,000 in grants and $15,000 in scholarships to underrepresented writers. The Institute's alumni have gone on to participate in programmes including Film Independent's Global Media Makers, TorinoFilmLab and NFDC Screenwriters Lab.
 
Guest speakers have included Juhi Chaturvedi (Piku), Meg LeFauve (Inside Out), Aparna Purohit of Aamir Khan Productions, Vikramaditya Motwane (Black Warrant), Neeraj Ghaywan (Homebound) and Apoorva Bakshi (Delhi Crime).

WRITERS INK 2026 SELECTED PROJECTS: 

The Cleansing (Hindi)
Writer: Samir Zaidi
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Synopsis: When told he cannot die before the age of 63, a philosophy professor feels invincible and embarks on a murderous crusade against criminals, only to become the very evil he seeks to destroy.

Five Lenses (Tamil)
Writer: Hariharasudhen Nagarajan
Genre: Social Drama
Synopsis: In rural Tamil Nadu, a young woman leads an unlikely team of five women spanning five generations to expose decades of corruption armed with little more than a camcorder and unwavering resolve.

The Golden Fish (Konkani, Hindi)
Writer: Avadhoot Vishvanath
Genre: Thriller
Synopsis: After accidentally knocking down a politician on election night in Goa and stealing his bribe money, two young casino workers race against police and political goons in pursuit of freedom.

Gulnaaz (Dari, Hindi)
Writer: Himanshi Handa
Genre: Social Drama
Synopsis: After a secret classroom for Afghan refugees in Delhi is shut down, an undocumented Afghani teenager risks the safety of her family by broadcasting her grandmother's forbidden poetry.

Home Delivery (Hindi, Bengali)
Writer: Zeeshan Hasan Akhtar
Genre: Thriller
Synopsis: During the COVID-19 lockdown, a pregnant Assamese Muslim surrogate trapped in her wealthy clients' home must survive casteism, Islamophobia, sexual violence and a murder cover-up while fighting to reclaim her future.

Madhur-Vaani (Hindi)
Writer: Hrithik Rai
Genre: Family Drama
Synopsis: A retiring clerk loses his voice while pursuing his lifelong dream of becoming a radio host. Reuniting with his estranged sister forces both siblings to confront years of silence and rediscover hope through storytelling.

Manju Kumari Social Media Star (Hindi)
Writer: Prakriti Kargeti
Genre: Social Drama
Synopsis: When a young social media influencer returns to her drought-stricken ancestral village during the COVID lockdown, she is forced to confront the offline realities she has long ignored.

The Pleasures Of Being My Brother (Hindi)
Writer: Yash Saraf
Genre: Dark Comedy
Synopsis: On the colourful day of Holi, a bankrupt businessman seeks help from his identical twin — a celebrity godman — to save the family business. By sunset, one of them will burn alive.

Rainbow (Hindi)
Writer: Sumi Baghel
Genre: Social satire
Synopsis: A dark-skinned village girl secretly turns to illegal skin-whitening injections in pursuit of love and acceptance, but ends up challenging the false beauty standards imposed by society.

Relay (Hindi)
Writer: Savyasachi Kulkarni
Genre: Sports Drama
Synopsis: A twelve-year-old amputee must win a prestigious relay race against the fastest boy in school to stop his only immigrant friend from being deported.

The Second Coming Of Gigi (Bangla, Hindi)
Writer: Joey Tejas Kaushik
Genre: Magical Realism-Horror
Synopsis: Returning home for her estranged mother's funeral, Gigi is drawn into magical encounters that uncover long-buried adolescent memories of her sexuality, childhood love and a sinister Godman.

Starvation (Marathi)
Writer: Saurav Dattatraya Mahind
Genre: Romance
Synopsis: In Pune's cruising spots, Namya, a homosexual vagabond, survives by pickpocketing closeted men and exploiting their desires. His emotionally detached worldview is upended when one of his victims returns seeking closeness rather than settling scores.

When A Mountain Saw A Peacock (Hindi)
Writer: Pulkit Tomar
Genre: Social Drama
Synopsis: When a suppressed housewife in a small Himalayan village starts trading timber illegally to fund her daughter’s education, she ends up finding her own agency to live a life on her own terms.