Chirag Shah, son of leading dance teacher Jasmine Shah of Aangikam Academy from New Hampshire moved to India and is pursuing a career in Bollywood in writing screenplay and direction. He moved to India in 2009 and for the first two years he attended whistling woods films school where he learned the art of screenplay writing. Since then (2011) he has been working on many projects, small and big. He is an aspiring director as well. He shares some insights into his journey from NH to Mumbai.
Can you describe your journey to becoming a script writer for Bollywood?
When I came to India in 2009, I attended whistling woods international where I learned the art of screenplay writing. The head of the screenwriting department is Mr. Anjum Rajabali who has written films like The Legend Of Bhagat Singh, Rajneeti, Aarakshan, Apaharan, and Satyagraha (To name a few). Under his mentorship, I developed a greater understanding screenplay writing and all the elements associated with it (Character development, scene development, conflict, etc etc). Writing and screenplay writing are two different things completely.
After graduating from Whistling woods in 2011, I starting working under SLB productions and then wrote a script for Ken Ghosh (Ishq Vishq). Since the industry is extremely unpredictable, none of my projects ever materialized. However, I kept my chin up and continued writing for smaller projects here and there. I am also interested in direction and have dreams of becoming a director some day. Therefore I've assisted on various ads and short films as well.
Can you describe the screenplay concept?
To put it shortly, screenplay is the blueprint of a film. It is everything on paper. Every scene and every sequence. It includes the structure and narrative style. A film can either be linear or non-linear. For example, every film has a beginning, middle and end, but not necessarily in that order. Some films have flashbacks, while others are only told in the present. A change in a scene is determined by a change in location or a jump in time. So if there is a scene in a living room, followed by a scene in the kitchen, that's two scenes right there. It is estimated that 1 page of script will turn out to be 1 minute of film. So a 120 page screenplay would usually turn into a 2 hour film. Meanwhile a 150 page script would be a 2 hour and 30 minute film. This is just an estimation.
What motivated you to move to India?
Since childhood I always felt as if I'm too Indian for America. My obsession with Bollywood movies, Hindi songs, Indian dance and Indian instruments made me feel as if I was meant to be in India. I would always look forward to my summer vacations so I could visit India!
But the main thing that motivated me to move to India is Bollywood, although I hate that name and I'd rather just call the industry "Hindi film Industry".... The age of experimentation has begun! Filmmakers have just started to explore different Ideas without truly abandoning the Bollywood style. What I mean by the "Bollywood style" is the way songs and lyrics are used to move the story forward. The way good films use song, dance and lyrics is very different from your usual "Masala flick". In short, the market is expanding and the future looks bright. I want to be part of that future so I moved to India!
How are you enjoying living in India?
Obviously coming from the U.S, it takes a while to get accustomed to such a different culture, society and way of living. But now I'm used to it. I have reasons to love India and despise India. It's a very complicated country, but that's what makes it so interesting. On top of that, being in the entertainment business makes things even more interesting, yet tough at the same time.
You were raised in the US. How were you able to bring the language skills required for writing scripts?
The main language I had to learn was the language of Indian culture and Indian society. I have to be very observant...This would help me develop stories. The screenplay writers main focus is developing the story, the scenes, the situations and the characters. The screenplay writer creates the overall mood. I have been developing my Hindi skills, however these days most scripts in India are written in English. Even if the dialogues are in Hindi, it's written in English, not literally Hindi .
How easy has it been to become a writer in Bollywood?
It is very difficult. Freelancing is a tough job. You literally have to just keep writing and going from one production house to another to pitch your concepts. Sometimes you write for people and other times you write for yourself. What makes screenwriting a risky job is that their is never a guarantee that the film will ever get made even if you finish your screenplay or sell your idea. Unlike most technicians who get hired when the film goes on floors, the writers job starts before any guarantee. The struggle is never ending.
What has been your most favorite project to date?
After graduating from whistling woods I worked on a documentary called "Living Mirage" (Unreleased). This experience was quite memorable because this documentary delved into the lives of struggling actors and gave me a very raw look into the entertainment business as a whole. By working on this project, in four months I learned what would have otherwise taken me longer. It was chaotic and there were many problems along the way, however it was an adventure that taught me a lot about filmmaking as a whole, not necessarily screenplay writing. Other then that, every ad and short film that I've assisted on is an experience in it's own.
Do you ever think of returning to the US?
I do think about it, but I'm not really sure what will happen. It's too early to say at this moment. Either way, my goal is to first make a mark in India.
Any advice to others who may have been bitten by the Bollywood bug?
I would say, go for it! But you must be patient and have lots of perseverance. This is not some normal job where you start earning right after getting some degree. This is a creative field and there is a lot of competition.
Thank you your time
Thank you
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