The Queer Muslim Project Sets 6 Fellows For Annual Screenwriting Lab To Amplify LGBTQ+ Storytelling In South Asia

Rosy Cordero
·5-min read

EXCLUSIVE: The Queer Muslim Project has revealed the six Fellows selected as part of its second cohort of the QueerFrames Screenwriting Lab, a one-of-its-kind creative incubator for emerging and early-career queer storytellers in South Asia.

This year’s Fellows come from a variety of backgrounds and creative perspectives including Anureet Watta, Ashutosh Shankar, Shubham Negi, Tejas Shende, Abdul Rehman Shah, and Samah Meghjee.

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The Queer Muslim Project is Asia’s leading digital and cultural platform for queer, Muslim, and diverse voices, with a growing community of 70k+. They use art, culture, and media to challenge stereotypes, expand access for underrepresented LGBTQIA+ storytellers, and help them shape their narratives. One of its initiatives is the QueerFrames Screenwriting Lab which helps create behind-the-camera opportunities for underrepresented communities in the entertainment industry.

As part of the cohort, the Fellows will be part of an immersive program combining creative workshops, technical training, and personalized mentorship. Key features include a tailored screenwriting curriculum, one-on-one project consultations, peer-to-peer collaboration, and industry-focused masterclasses. Special guest sessions will consist of expertise on pitching and project presentation strategies from the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg and the French co-production ecosystem, with a notable contribution from producer Claire Chassagne (Girls Will Be Girls).

The group will be mentored by filmmakers Fawzia Mirza (The Queen of My Dreams), Saim Sadiq (Joyland) and Alankrita Shrivastava (Made in Heaven), who will provide invaluable support in developing their projects.

“We are thrilled to unveil the second cohort of the QueerFrames Screenwriting Lab and to support these extraordinary queer South Asian storytellers in bringing their vibrant, complex, and uplifting narratives to the forefront. Through this Lab, we are not just equipping emerging South Asian queer storytellers with the tools, resources, and networks to craft impactful stories, but actively cultivating a world where queer artists can define and transform the stories we see on screen, shaping a more inclusive and representative film industry,” shared Rafiul Alom Rahman, director of the Queer Muslim Project.

All six will partake in career development and networking opportunities at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival in February, where they will showcase their work to an international audience of film industry leaders. Industry speakers for the virtual leg of the Lab include Richa Chadha, Nida Manzoor, Roshan Sethi, Shuchi Talati, Mo Naqvi, Neeraj Churi, Andria Wilson Mirza, Kamal Kaan, Ambarien Alqadar, Utsab Nath and Uzma Khan, to name a few.

Vishnu Sinha (Adjunct Faculty, Columbia University) will return for a second year as the Lab instructor and Paromita Dhar (Berlinale Talents alumna) will join as a guest instructor. The 2024 edition of the program counts on Women in Film and Lotus Visual Productions as community outreach collaborators, as well as Netflix, Goethe-Institut New Delhi and the French Institute in India.

“The QueerFrames Screenwriting Lab is an inspiring initiative that amplifies the voices of LGBTQIA+ storytellers in South Asia, supporting them in sharing powerful and diverse narratives. We’re excited that the Fellows will have the opportunity to visit and network at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival in 2025, one of the most prestigious film festivals globally. The Goethe-Institut is proud to support and empower queer artists in crafting stories that celebrate the richness of our societies,” shared Hannah Jung, Director of Cultural Programs, South Asia, Goethe-Institut New Delhi.

Learn more about the Fellows and their projects below.

India

Muskuraiye Aap Lucknow Mein Hain by Anureet Watta

Hiriya and Chanda, two pickpockets, navigate love and crime in Lucknow until a bitter breakup turns into a chaotic and escalating chase for money and revenge.

Watta (they/them) is a Delhi-based writer-director and poet. They were previously a Writers INK Screenwriting Lab Fellow and their work has been featured on BBC Radio. This project is developed with a co-writer, Ayaan.

Strings Attached by Ashutosh Shankar

When a young violinist faces discrimination while competing for a coveted position at his music conservatory, he finds unlikely solace and encouragement in his next-door neighbor, a grumpy old woman.

Shankar (he/him) is a queer, Dalit filmmaker from Pune, Maharashtra. His short film, Tara, received the 2023 Kashish Q-Drishti Runners-Up Grant. He has been part of QueerFrames Screenwriting Lab 2023 and the Soho House – OWN Academy Mentorship Program 2024.

Things We Leave Behind by Shubham Negi

When Meera, a Himachali migrant to Mumbai, starts working at a company that cleans homes after lonely deaths, she starts seeing haunting visions of a burning body, forcing her to face her unresolved past.

Negi (he/him) is a writer-director and poet from Himachal Pradesh. He is the winner of the Netflix TakeTen grant, an alumnus of QueerFrames Screenwriting Lab 2023, a Fellow at the Writers INK Screenwriting Lab, and a participant in the 2024 NFDC Film Bazaar.

Kabaddi, Kabaddi! by Tejas Shende

A closeted school teacher forms an unlikely friendship with one of his students after he discovers his secret, forcing him to grapple with his sexuality.

Shende (he/him) is a filmmaker from Satara, Maharashtra. He studies Screenwriting at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

Pakistan

The Waters of Shalimar by Abdul Rehman Shah

When his former lover from across the border reaches out after two years, Ali reminisces about their short-lived relationship as he prepares to meet him – and his wife.

Shah (he/they) is a filmmaker raised in Saudi Arabia and based in Pakistan. They are pursuing a bachelor’s in Film and TV at the National College of Arts in Lahore.

United States

Quran Camp by Samah Meghjee

At a summer camp for Muslim tweens, the shy and nerdy Tanveer doesn’t expect to find a crush – especially not one who’s her bunkmate.

Meghjee (she/her) is a Muslim playwright and screenwriter with an MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage from Northwestern University. Her work has been recognized by GLAAD x The Black List, Screencraft, 1497, Amazon Prime Video, WScripted, and more.

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