From USC to Bollywood: Sharan Sharma’s Inspiring Story

During my years at USC, I developed a deep love for films, embracing every aspect, from storytelling to the business side of things. Interestingly, being at USC brought me even closer to Indian films. Hindi films became my connect to India, while in LA. I distinctly remember one pivotal moment in my final year when I visited an Indian theater in LA and watched Wake Up Sid. That film completely blew me away. It had such a fresh tone and a unique voice that resonated with me on a personal level. I left the theater feeling inspired and determined to return to India after graduation and work in Indian cinema.

For one of my film class assignments, we were tasked with doing a scene analysis. While my peers chose classic Hollywood films, I decided to analyze a scene from Wake Up Sid. The assignment required us to obtain the script of the film, which led me to track down the director, Ayan Mukerji’s email ID. I reached out to him, and that connection proved to be life-changing. A year after graduating, I got the opportunity to work as a director’s assistant on his next film, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.

Getting a foot in the door itself is a big challenge when starting out in this industry. I was fortunate to connect with the director and have him trust me enough to let me be a part of his film. That initial opportunity was instrumental in shaping my journey in the Indian film industry.

I am the biggest cricket lover you’ll ever meet. Growing up, I too had the dream of becoming a cricketer. It’s a sport that I’ve played and watched all my life, and it’s on the cricket field where I made my best friends. All my happiest memories in life are connected to cricket. Since the beginning of my journey as an assistant director back in 2011, I’ve been excited to make a cricket-based film. Over the years, I worked on several cricket-based ideas, each one an attempt to bring my passion for the sport to the screen.

After the release of my first film, Gunjan Saxena, there came a time when we were figuring out my next project. I remember pitching the basic idea of Mr. and Mrs. Mahi to Karan Sir (Karan Johar), and he really liked it. That’s how the journey of Mr. and Mrs. Mahi began, and I was thrilled to finally get the opportunity to tell a story set against the world of cricket.

What made the experience even more special was creating characters who were as cricket-obsessed as I am. Looking back at the three years I spent working on this film, I feel completely overwhelmed. Every day, I got to work on a project about a world I’m so deeply passionate and obsessed with. It all feels surreal, and it brings great joy to my heart that I finally got to tell a story based around cricket.

Growing up, I was always interested in watching films from both India and America. My family and I would regularly go to theaters throughout the 90s and early 2000s to watch classic blockbuster Hindi films like DDLJ, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai, and all the iconic films by David Dhawan and Govinda. These were the films that shaped my early love for cinema. My favorite films back then were Kabhi Ha Kabhi Na, Andaz Apna Apna, and Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar—films that I enjoyed thoroughly as a kid.

When I went to USC, it was a turning point for me. It exposed me to a whole different world of cinema. I remember during my first year, we had a class where we analyzed the evolution of the gangster genre in Hollywood across decades. We explored gangster films from each decade, and that experience truly blew me away. Being at USC allowed me access to a vast library of films, which widened my understanding and appreciation of different narrative and filmmaking techniques. Although I had already seen the major Hollywood blockbusters while in India, my time at USC broadened my tastes significantly, influencing the kind of filmmaker I am today.

As a filmmaker, I aim to tell stories that are deeply emotional with an Indian heart, but I want the narrative styles to be fresh and unique. My experiences of watching Indian films in the 90s and then being exposed to a broader spectrum of cinema during my time at USC have both played a crucial role in shaping the core of who I am as a filmmaker today and who I aspire to be in the future.

Trends in Indian cinema are constantly evolving and ever-changing. However, in the post-pandemic era, there are some clear trends that have emerged. With the massive advent of OTT streaming platforms, we now have clear indicators of the kind of cinema that qualifies as films for the theatrical experience. People are more discerning about what they want to watch in theaters versus what they are comfortable viewing at home. Understanding this evolving landscape, the audience’s preferences, and the changing profile of the audience is crucial. It equips filmmakers to create films that can cater to the widest audience possible, drawing them to the theaters in significant numbers.

As for young filmmakers, I believe they are definitely pushing boundaries, but I don’t see it as the only goal. Each director, regardless of age, has their own journey with films. If pushing boundaries is their aspiration, then they should pursue that, and if making broad commercial films is their focus, that’s equally valid. We’re in an exciting era where both approaches coexist within the industry. It’s a very exciting time to be a filmmaker, as there’s immense opportunity to engage and entertain audiences and do something special for the big screen.

I believe that a film should come from an honest and organic space. With both of my films, the intention has always been to tell the story with sincerity and honesty. I see myself as the first audience and aim to create a narrative that truly engages me, resonates with me, and excites me. My hope is that the audiences will also be able to see and feel what my team and I experienced when we were initially developing the film.

In terms of balance, I think it’s essential to understand that making a commercial film involves ensuring that the economics work out. The film needs to reach a point where it’s commercially viable and exciting to make. That’s becoming more of a challenge in the current theatrical environment, where not every film qualifies as a commercially viable theatrical experience.

For me, the endeavour is always to tell the most honest story while also understanding the economics of the film and finding the right balance. Personally, my excitement and challenge moving forward is to maintain my creative integrity while appealing to the widest audience possible. That, to me, is what’s really exciting in this journey.

Gunjan Saxena was my first film, and my approach was to spend a significant amount of time with Gunjan ma’am and her family. The initial focus was on understanding her life, her father, her brother, her mother, and everyone in her universe. It was essential to grasp their emotions, their thoughts, their dreams, their aspirations, and the experiences they went through.

When adapting a real-life story, one of the big challenges is deciding what to leave out and what to include in the film. My co-writer, Nikhil Mehrotra, who was part of the writing team of Dangal, would often talk about the challenges faced there as well. If you include every detail of a person’s life, the film can turn into almost a Wikipedia-like retelling, merely ticking boxes, which doesn’t always make for an engaging narrative.

So, it’s crucial to find aspects of the person’s life that allow for an interesting drama and narrative to unfold. Making those choices is a critical part of the writing process. For Gunjan Saxena, I was fortunate to have Nikhil, a seasoned writer in this genre, and Gunjan ma’am herself guiding us along the journey, helping us shape the story authentically while making it compelling for the audience.

I am currently back to the writing process. It’s still too early to talk much about it. All I can say is I am enjoying the writing thoroughly!