Screenwriters Association announces new leadership after Mumbai polls

MUMBAI: The Screenwriters Association wrapped up its 68th annual general body election on 9 November at The Celebrations Club in Lokhandwala, Andheri West, Mumbai with a decisive mandate for its leadership team.
The scrutiny committee opened polls at 1 pm after confirming all candidates were present. Regular and life members cast their votes for 21 executive committee positions throughout the afternoon. By 6:45pm, the committee had declared results before an audience of candidates and members.

Charudutt Acharya secured the presidency unopposed, heading a roster of office bearers that swept to power without contest. Manisha Korde and Saiwyn Quadras will serve as vice presidents, whilst Raj Shekhar takes the general secretary role. Hussain Haidry becomes treasurer, with Puneet Sharma and Sweksha Bhagat as joint secretaries.

The 21-member executive committee includes established names such as Anjum Rajabali, Alankrita Shrivastava and Hitesh Kewalya. The full slate comprises Abhjeet Deshpande, Anu Singh, Danish Javed, Dhananjay Kumar, Divy Nidhi Sharma, Ginny Diwan, Lakshmi Jayakumar, Mitesh Shah, Preeti Mamgain, Radhika Anand, Robin Nanabhai Bhatt, Saket Chaudhary, Satyam Tripathy, Satyanshu Singh, Sudeep Nigam, Vibha Singh, Vishal Watwani and Zaman Habib.

Three associate category positions went uncontested to Deepanjjan Roy, Palak Bhambri and Siddhant Makkar. The association’s new leadership takes charge for the 2023-25 term, steering the guild through an industry grappling with streaming disruption and artificial intelligence. Whether they can script a happy ending for India’s writers remains to be seen.