As the 7th Indian Screenwriters Conference (ISC) draws near, anticipation is building for what promises to be a transformative event for screenwriters and creators across India. Among those who owe much of their journey to this very conference is Satyanshu Singh, the prolific screenwriter, director, and Member of the Screenwriters Association (SWA) Executive Committee. Known for his work on Chintu Ka Birthday and Black Warrant, Singh credits the SWA conference for setting him on the path that would eventually define his career.
Satyanshu reflects on a pivotal moment during his early days in Mumbai, when he attended an SWA conference at the Indira Gandhi Institute near Film City. At the time, Singh was in his mid-20s, new to the city, and unfamiliar with the formal education available for screenwriting. “I wanted to write, I’d written three feature films in medical college, and I’d started to direct as well, but I never realized there could be a formal education for writing. I thought I could just teach myself,” he said.
It was at this conference that Singh had his first encounter with the technicalities of screenwriting. He recalls attending a session where renowned filmmaker Abbas Tyrewala, whose film Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa had recently released, spoke about narrative structure using terms like "first act," "second act," and other key screenwriting concepts. For Singh, these terms were completely unfamiliar. “I felt so deficient, and I suddenly realized I don’t know stuff,” he admits. This realization sparked a thirst for knowledge, leading him to dive into his first book on screenwriting that very evening.
Singh’s journey from being a self-taught screenwriter to a teacher in the field of cinema was ignited by that moment at the SWA conference. He continues, “I went home and read my first-ever book on screenwriting, and that journey of reading is still going on. I read a book this morning, and that journey has been going on for the last 16 years.”
Looking back, Satyanshu acknowledges the profound impact the SWA conference had on his career, both as a screenwriter and as an educator. "In a way, my education of cinema, or screenwriting, started because someone at the SWA conference mentioned something that inspired me to study on my own. A few years later, I started teaching, and so in my way, I owe my teaching journey to the SWA conference,” he adds.
The ISC, which has become an essential event for screenwriters and storytellers in India, is now a place where emerging writers, like Satyanshu once was, can learn from industry stalwarts. With an exciting lineup of sessions, masterclasses, and networking opportunities, this year's conference promises to inspire the next generation of storytellers just as it did for Singh.
As the 7th edition of the Indian Screenwriters Conference approaches, it's clear that events like this are crucial for fostering growth and education in the creative community. The experiences and insights shared by the likes of Satyanshu Singh serve as a reminder of the power of knowledge, the importance of mentorship, and the role that communities like SWA play in nurturing the future of Indian cinema.