About the Lab
We are combining India's thriving creative economy with its ambitious environmental goals to create a space where the world can see India's most creative climate solutions through cinema.
Launched by Pluc.tv and Netflix India in 2026, the Climate Scriptwriting Lab celebrates India's solutions on climate and nurtures fiction storytelling talent, equipping writers with the tools, resources, and networks to develop short films (fiction) and feature films (fiction) that carry the weight of our changing world.
The lab is open to emerging writers working in any language. This isn't just a climate-only lab — it's about your craft. The most compelling stories are rooted in character, emotion, authenticity and an epic world that is built around it. You'll develop your screenplay alongside industry mentors like Sumit Roy, Saiwyn Quadras, Akshat Verma, Chirag Garg and more.
The 8-month lab uses a hybrid model, combining virtual sessions with offline modules in Delhi, Mumbai, Guwahati, and Hyderabad. This structure provides a consistent development pace while allowing participants to balance the program with their existing professional commitments.
Climate and environmental realities are not treated as separate themes, but as lived context within stories. Present across genres, whether it is drama, romance, thrillers, Sci-fi or comedy. The immersive lab brings together 60 writers, supported by 8 mentors who face 8 jury members from the industry by the end of it.
What the Lab Offers
Meet the Mentors
Screenwriters who have shaped mainstream Indian cinema.
Sumit Roy
screenwriter and filmmaker
Homebound, Gehraiyaan, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, more
Sumit Roy
screenwriter and filmmaker
Sumit Roy is an award-winning screenwriter & filmmaker based in Mumbai whose work traverses feature films and streaming. A storyteller known for powering several beloved prestige productions, he possesses the rare ability to infuse popular mainstream entertainment with intellectual depth, nuance and a social conscience. His films include Gehraiyaan, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani and Homebound.
Saiwyn Quadras
screenwriter
Parmanu, Neerja, Mary Kom, Maidaan and more
Saiwyn Quadras
screenwriter
Saiwyn Quadras is an Indian screenwriter known for crafting thematic and emotionally resonant stories across genres. His credits include Mary Kom, Neerja, Maidaan, Parmanu, and Maa, reflecting a range from character-driven dramas to genre-led narratives. His writing is marked by strong character arcs and compelling storytelling, connecting with audiences while maintaining a distinct emotional core.
Akshat Verma
- screenwriter , filmmaker , producer
Delhi Belly and more
Akshat Verma
- screenwriter , filmmaker , producer
Akshat Verma is an Indian screenwriter, filmmaker, and producer known for his sharp, genre-bending storytelling. He gained widespread recognition for writing Delhi Belly (2011), noted for its edgy humor and unconventional narrative. His work often blends satire with urban realism, pushing boundaries in mainstream Indian cinema.
Chirag Garg
writer and creator
Mandala Murders, Dupahiya Season 1,2 and more
Chirag Garg
writer and creator
Chirag Garg is a writer and creator, best known for Dupahiya Season 1, with Season 2 slated for release soon. He has also written Mandala Murders for Yrf and Netflix and feature films like Be Happy and Kakuda. A graduate of the National School of Drama, he is currently working on a web show with a leading OTT platform and a developing film for a reputed production house.
Kiren Dhadwal
TV and film consultant
Climate Spring
Kiren Dhadwal
TV and film consultant
Kiren Dhadwal is a TV and Film Development Executive working across the scripted slate for global narrative change organisation Climate Spring. She is also a Producer with over a decade of experience in TV drama, working with writers such as Jack Thorne, Paul Abbott, Riz Ahmed, Richie Mehta and many more. She’s also worked for broadcasters such as, Sky, Disney, Channel 4, and the BBC. Passionate about championing writers from underrepresented backgrounds she supports telling stories for social and environmental change. Kiren also teaches yoga, running regenerative retreats for writers helping them connect their work with climate themes and heal while doing so.
Tamseel Hussain
Founder & CEO, PLUC
Pluc
Tamseel Hussain
Founder & CEO, PLUC
Tamseel Hussain is the Founder & CEO of PLUC, a multi-vertical storytelling engine spanning a creative studio, a storytelling platform, book publishing, and a global community of over 350,000 creators across India and around the world. Tamseel has produced and directed multiple films, with credits across projects including Planet India, FarOut, and Airpocalypse to name a few. Through PLUC, he has built one of the largest decentralised storytelling ecosystems for communities, enabling creators to tell stories rooted in lived realities in various formats. Tamseel is also a member of the UNFCCC ECCA Steering Committee for Film & TV.
Announcing Soon
Announcing Soon
Who Can Apply
You can apply if you:
Are 18+ years of age
Have at least one writing credit on a produced feature film or short fiction film or series (screened at a festival, exists online or a platform)
Are applying with a fiction project in one of the following formats:
- Feature film
- Short fiction film
Should be excited about weaving a climate narrative into your script
Can commit to the whole duration of the lab
Applications close on May 9, 2026
Apply NowThe lab is open to writers from across India, with a focus on bringing in voices and stories from different regions and backgrounds.
You don't need to be writing a climate story.
Bring your story. The lab helps you discover and build on what's already within it.