Koko ready to call the shots
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 3, 2014)

Konkona Sen Sharma, who was last seen in Ekta Kapoor's witchy tale, Ek Thi Daayan, has now decided to wear the director's hat. Mirror has learnt that the National Award winning actress has been working on a script which has been picked by the Script Lab of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).

A source close to the organisation told Mirror, "It's called A Death In The Gunj and is a coming-of-age drama that goes dangerously wrong. It was shortlisted from over 80 entries received by NFDC this year."

The workshops for this year's talent will begin on October 12 in Pune where Konkona, along with nine other participants, will develop their screenplays under the guidance of three mentors, including actor-director Rajat Kapoor. The sessions will continue for the next six months.

Scripts that were developed at the Screenwriter's Lab and which went on to gain global acclaim include Ritesh Batra's The Lunchbox and Kanu Behl's Cannes-returned Titli.

Confirming that she will helm the film, Konkona told Mirror, "I am excited about this programme and have been tirelessly working on this script. I've made a short film in the past titled Naamkaran, but A Death In The Gunj will be my first attempt at directing a feature film."

The actress, however, emphasises on the need for star backing because that's the way to get Indie films into the mainstream. "The Lunchbox was a terrific film but it still needed the support of Karan Johar as presenter to make it accessible to a wider audience. Ditto Ship of Theseus presented by Kiran Rao," she said.

"Right now my priority is to make a really good film. I am thankful to NFDC for supporting me," she added.