Aamir Khan Announces The Winners Of The First Edition Of Cinestaan India’s Storytellers Script Contest

Aamir Khan along with fellow jurors Anjum Rajabali (Jury Chairperson) and Juhi Chaturvedi of Cinestaan India's Storytellers Script Contest handed over cheques worth Rs.50 Lakhs to the winners of the first edition of the contest.

The first prize of a whopping Rs 25 lakh was won by Christo Tomy from Kerala whose story 'Funeral' got a unanimous thumbs up from all the jury members. The second prize was won by Biplab Goswami for the story title ‘Two Brides’,  third prize was won by Satyen K Bordoloi for the story title ‘Who Will Marry Thomas?’, fourth prize was won by Rajdweep for the story title ‘Ishqlogy (Something Greater Than Technology)’ and the fifth prize was won by Sagar Pandya for the story title ‘Sniper’

 While giving away the award, Aamir said, “Without a good script, there can never be a good film. There are many good and deserving writers in our country. However, not all of them have the right platform or opportunities to showcase their talent. Cinestaan India’s Storytellers Script Contest aims at achieving precisely that. We are glad to have successfully concluded the first edition of the contest and we are now looking forward to the second edition too. It was an absolute pleasure meeting the finalists and I was delighted to read their scripts.”

Says Rohit Khattar, Chairman of Cinestaan Digital, “We started this initiative years ago with Mumbai Mantra - Sundance as well as Mumbai Mantra -CineRise Screenwriting initiatives. I am grateful to our esteemed jury in working with us to bring the Indian storytelling talent to the forefront with the successful conclusion of the first edition of the Cinestaan India’s Storytellers Script Contest. I would like to Congratulate the winners who are truly deserving and wish them success.”

The first edition of the contest began in October 2017 and over the course of the year the entries went through a transparent and stringent process of evaluation at various levels. The shortlisted synopsis were asked to send in a complete script which were then assessed and then the winners selected by the jury. All scripts have been registered by the contestants with the Scriptwriters Association and other similar recognised bodies to ensure that the writers' content is completely protected.

Aamir Khan, Anjum Rajabali, Juhi Chaturvedi, Rohit Khattar

Speaking about the winners, Anjum Rajabali, the jury Chairperson said, “The past year has been a journey of discovering new talent. It is heartening to see so many storytellers waiting for the right opportunity to tell that story. It was very tough to choose the winner but he had the right story in mind and the imagination to tell the story well.”

Juhi Chaturvedi says, “The first edition of the contest has successfully concluded and we are now excited about the second edition. There is a lot of talent out there and lots of innovative concepts and stories waiting to be heard and explored. And we are looking forward to that.”

Says Rohit khattar, Chairman of Cinestaan Digital, "We started this initiative years ago with Mumbai Mantra - Sundance as well as Mumbai Mantra -CineRise Screenwriting initiatives. I am grateful to our esteemed jury in working with us to bring the Indian storytelling talent to the forefront with the successful conclusion of the first edition of the Cinestaan India’s Storytellers Script Contest. I would like to Congratulate the winners who are truly deserving and wish them success.”

The second edition of the contest has been announced and participants can enter the contest by following the link scriptcontest.cinestaan.com

‘Cinestaan India’s Storytellers Script Contest’ which has been launched by Cinestaan Digital Pvt. Ltd. is India’s biggest Script Contest . The winners of the contest shall be awarded cash prizes worth Rs.50 lakhs. Some of the best scripts shall be curated to be part of the Cinestaan Script Bank – a treasure trove that Studios & Production Houses can delve into and then directly liaise with the writers, who often find it difficult to get their voice across.