Through a series of lockdown workshops, actor Boman Irani offers a learning opportunity to budding writers, amateurs and professionals from different walks of life to master the nuances of screenwriting

It has been actor Boman Irani’s endeavour to break down the craft of cinema for brilliant minds of all ages. The actor, who is known for his path-breaking performances in 3 Idiots and Lage Raho Munnabhai, has answered his call as a storyteller by devising Spiral Bound, a series of screenwriting workshops for eager learners. This initiative by the actor has clocked in 150 online screenwriting sessions during the lockdown.

Through these workshops, Irani offered a learning opportunity to budding writers, amateurs and professionals from different walks of life to unite and learn the nuances of screenwriting. What started for him as a step towards being a student of cinema, has now resulted in an incredible journey of mentoring hundreds of students.

Happy to have arrived at the milestone of hitting 150 sessions, Boman took to his social media to express gratitude towards artists and filmmakers, who showed their support to Spiral Bound. In the caption, he wrote, “One hundred and fifty sessions on screenwriting in just about 165 days right through this lockdown. Writers, directors, actors, designers, beginners, all... with heart. All with the intention to learn and grow. Not allowing the chains of these lockdowns to shackle and get the better of us. If at all we were shackled, it was with each other. Bound by the spiraling shackles of learning, love and friendship. Proud of each and every one of you! Grateful too!”

He said, “Spiral Bound began with the idea of jamming on stories and refining them. We have over 100 people attending the sessions every day and now clocking in 150 sessions leads me to think that what we’re offering these minds is really working for them.”

The first workshop was conducted by Alexander Dinelaris, Oscar-winning film Birdman’s screenwriter and dear friend to Boman. This was before the lockdown when the actor launched his production house — Irani Movietone. He shared that he wanted to write his screenplay but couldn’t. He was looking for some guidance, so he went to New York in search of it. And he met Alexander there. That’s how it all started.

Boman believes that these workshops will produce some great films in the future. He said that it’s all about the power of screenplay. “No camera can do wonders, if the screenplay isn’t worthwhile. It has the power to make or break great films,” added he.

On the work front, the actor looks forward to the release of 83, where he will be portraying the role of a former Indian cricketer Farokh Engineer, and Jayeshbhai Jordaar.