Bollywood Screenplays

At the turn of the century, I came to the conclusion that film is one of the most powerful mediums to affect change. That’s when, I started taking some courses in (Hollywood-style) screenwriting.

This year, Al Gore has proved how effective a well-crafted film can be in conveying a message to a very large number of people.

In various recent discussions about Entrepreneurship in India, I have heard a recurring theme, that Indian culture does not encourage, nor support entrepreneurship. And that it penalizes failure.

Both comments are true. Both hinder entrepreneurship. But what do we do about it?

Someone frivolously suggested a Bollywood film glorifying an Entrepreneur’s journey, would be a good way to counter this cultural mental block.

This happens to be a very good idea!

There’s a concept in story-telling, called the Character Arc. Your main character, at the beginning of a story, needs to change, through the experiences of the story.

In the case of our Bollywood Hero, the Entrepreneur, he needs to fail over and over again, but not give up. Everytime he falls, then gets up again, the audience will root for him.

In the end, in one screen-shattering moment, he will see the money and fame pouring in (and get the girl, who believed in him all along, anyway, just like Sudha Murthy believed in Narayen Murthy, once upon a time).

Anyone writing this story, yet?