From Sudip Sharma to Reema Kagti: 7 Writers from Small Towns Who Shook the Entertainment Industry

Every compelling novel is the result of a gifted author’s skillful handwriting.

Some great people in the entertainment industry have come from modest backgrounds in little towns, winning the hearts of audiences everywhere, and leaving a lasting impression.

Here is a list of seven authors from tiny towns who have achieved significant success.

Sudip Sharma

Sudip, a Guwahati native, graduated from IIM-Ahmedabad with an MBA in 2002. Later, he relocated to Mumbai and began working for significant FMCG corporations. But after penning a short film in 2006, his enthusiasm for screenwriting inspired him to investigate this industry further. He then engaged himself in studying the trade.

Sharma established himself as a notable feature screenwriter in 2014 with the suspenseful thriller “NH10,” which was inspired by actual occurrences of honor killing. In order to build on his success, Sudip worked with filmmaker Abhishek Chaubey to write the dialogue and the script for the crime dramas “Sonchiriya” and “Udta Punjab.” He recently co-wrote and produced “Kohrra,” which starred Barun Sobti and Harleen Sethi and became quite famous in the OTT sector.

Nitesh Tiwari

Nitesh, a well-known Indian director, screenwriter, and lyricist known for his contributions to Hindi cinema, originates from the Madhya Pradesh town of Itarsi. ‘Chillar Party’ (2011), which won the coveted National Film Award for Best Children’s Film, marked the beginning of his career as a co-director.

The interesting supernatural political drama “Bhoothnath Returns” (2014) was directed by Tiwari after that. His most notable accomplishment was the 2016 film “Dangal,” which he co-wrote, directed, and which went on to become the highest-grossing Indian movie of all time. ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’, ‘Chhichhore’, ‘Ghar Ki Murgi’, and ‘Ankahi Kahaniya’ are a few of his other well-known works. Recently, he produced the Huma Qureshi-starring Zee5 film Tarla and the Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor-starring “Bawaal” for Prime Video.

Nitesh is now engaged in the exciting new project ‘Bas Karo Aunty’. His rise to the pinnacles of Indian film from a little place is genuinely inspirational.

Alankrita Srivastava

Alankrita, a writer-director originally from Dehradun, Uttarakhand, has made a name for herself as a brave and courageous writer-director. She challenges cultural taboos and emphasizes women’s emancipation in her work with movies like “Lipstick Under My Burkha” and “Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare.” The provocative tales of Srivastava upend conventional wisdom and reveal the intricacies of modern Indian culture.

On August 10, “Made in Heaven” Season 2 will begin streaming on Prime Video. It is directed by Alankrita, Neeraj Ghaywan, Nitya Mehra, Reema Kagti, and Zoya Akhtar, and it is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Media & Entertainment and Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s Tiger Baby Films.

Reema Kagti

Reema is a talented person who hails from Borhapjan in the Assamese district of Tinsukia. Working under renowned directors like Farhan Akhtar, Ashutosh Gowariker, Honey Irani, and Mira Nair, she first gained experience as an assistant director. Since the beginning of Excel Entertainment, Reema has been involved. In 2015, she and Zoya Akhtar co-founded Tiger Baby Films.

‘Talaash’, ‘Bombay Talkies’, ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’, ‘Gold’, ‘Gully Boy’, and ‘Made in Heaven’ are just a few of the notable screenplays she’s written. She most recently collaborated on the writing and directing of the Prime Video film “Dahaad,” which stars Sonakshi Sinha, Gulshan Devaiah, Vijay Varma, and Sohum Shah. The anticipation for her future endeavor, “Made in Heaven Season 2,” which will definitely showcase her narrative prowess once again, is growing.

Arunabh Kumar

Arunabh is a multifaceted Indian businessman, producer, director, screenwriter, and actor who was raised in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. ‘The Viral Fever’ (TVF), a well-known digital content development firm, is most recognized for having been founded by him. Arunabh’s academic path brought him to IIT Kharagpur where he earned his B Tech in Electrical Engineering.

He then got a job as Farah Khan’s assistant at Shah Rukh Khan’s production company, Red Chillies Entertainment. He worked as an assistant director on the hit film “Om Shanti Om” at this period.

Arunabh and Sumit Saxena recently co-wrote the riveting criminal drama series “Kaalkoot.” Vijay Varma and Shweta Tripathi, two excellent actors, play the series’ main characters. Arunabh keeps having a big effect on the entertainment business because to his many abilities and entrepreneurial enthusiasm.

Swapnil Jain

Swapnil, who hails from the tiny hamlet of Bhawani Mandi in Rajasthan, has become a rising star in the writing industry. Millions of people have listened to his audio series “Insta Millionaire” on Pocket FM, which has won several important awards. Although Swapnil began his career in supporting parts in web series like “Crash Course,” it was his outstanding writing skills that catapulted him to new heights. With well-regarded pieces like “Romeo and Juliet in Smart Cities of Contemporary India” and “HAIN!,” he has also established himself as a writer for the stage.

Additionally, in the Disney+Hotstar production Rubisha, he demonstrated his talents as a writer-actor. The young writer presently contributes to “Insta Millionaire.”

Tigmanshu Dhulia

Tigmanshu, who was up in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, is well-known for his unique storytelling approach. In his movies like “Paan Singh Tomar” and “Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster,” reality and passion are combined in a unique way. Dhulia has been recognized as a talented writer from a small village with a distinctive voice thanks to his evocative storylines and compelling character representations.

Recent political thriller “Garmi,” which is streaming on SonyLiv, was directed by Tigmanshu. He has just inked a three-film/series agreement with “Goldfish” producer Amit Saxena’s Splendid Films.