Boman Irani’s efforts to encourage screenwriters

In the senior actor’s plans of an exchange programme, top international writers will interact with six newbies in New York, USA

Actor-turned-producer Boman Irani wants to champion the cause of writing in the Indian film industry. Earlier this year, when he launched his production house, he had conducted a workshop for budding writers with the screenwriter of the Oscarwinning film Birdman (2014), Alexander Dinelaris, and 270 other experienced writers, to provide inspiration to the novices. Now, in an attempt to help writers gain respect, money and importance in the business, he has planned a writer’s exchange programme.

Talking about it, the 59year-old actor says, “I want young writers to be enthused by established ones, and therefore, I plan to have more workshops for budding writers. We will have an exchange programme wherein we will take six newbie writers to New York, USA, for a fortnight. We will bring in top international writers, who will interact with the young writers over a cup of coffee. Such exposure is priceless.”

The Total Dhamaal actor admits that even if one writer makes one good film post these workshops, “toh bahut badi baat hogi”. He reveals that even today, he gets messages

from the writers who attended the launch workshop with Dinelaris. “They tell me what they learnt after meeting him. It makes a lot of difference when experienced professionals groom the new generation. Writers initiate the whole process and we need to elevate them in our films. The craft of writing is an intense one and I hope the process of screenwriting is taken far more seriously than before,” Boman signs off.

I want young writers to be enthused by established ones... It makes a lot of difference when experienced professionals groom the new generation. BOMAN IRANI,

ACTOR-PRODUCER