Launchpad: Pitch Competition 2026

Blind Tiger (盲虎) (TV Series)

Amarik Singh Khosa (Writer/ Director) is a Sikh writer-director based in Los Angeles. Raised in a family of police officers who have lived in Hong Kong for three generations, his work explores the intersections between law enforcement, immigration, and crime. His directing work has been supported by Film Independent, Americana Film Fest, and the Justice Film Festival, while his screenwriting has been recognized by the Austin Film Festival and shortlisted for the AMC One-Hour Pilot Award. Khosa is currently completing his MFA at USC as a George Lucas Scholar. Prior to film, he spent four years as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley.

Dead Serious with Maya and Momo (TV Series)

Neha Dutta (Writer): Neha Dutta holds an MFA from ArtCenter and is a writer, creative executive, and tech storyteller. Formerly at FOX India, her career spans Disney, 72andSunny, Coverfly, and IW Group’s AI innovation team. Her scripts have been recognized by Austin Film Festival, Sundance, and Stage 32, while her advertising work earned a Cannes Lions Bronze and a Young Director Award shortlist. She champions new voices via Coverfly and festivals including IFFLA and Tasveer. A fan of crime and thrillers, Neha is drawn to female-led mysteries with dark humor and moral complexity.

The Fiddler (Feature)

Monisha Dadlani (Writer/ Director): LA-based storyteller Monisha Dadlani focuses on grounded magical realism, coming-of-age, and romance. A USC alum and member of Rideback’s “Rise Circle,” her scripts The Boy Who Died and The Marigold Paradox both received Black List honors. She has written for Netflix, Amazon MGM, Apple TV+, and MRC. After her short Condoms & Cherries sold to Sony TV via Imagine Impact, she adapted The Vibrant Years and Sister of the Bollywood Bride (produced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas). Currently developing her directorial debut, The Fiddler, Monisha is repped by Good Fear and Verve.

Sapna (Feature)

Maryam Mir (Writer/ Director): Maryam Mir is a filmmaker with roots across Kashmir, Bahrain, Kenya, and Canada. Her narrative short, Sweet Refuge, screened at over 45 festivals, won 10 awards (including a DGA Student Film Jury Award), and was acquired by AMC+ for their Rising Stars series. Her latest short, Grandma Swim, is preparing for a 2026 festival run with support from the Doha Film Institute. Maryam holds an MFA from NYU Tisch’s Graduate Film Program, where she was an Ang Lee scholar. She is a recipient of Riz Ahmed’s Pillars Artist Fellowship (Netflix), Marcie Bloom’s Film Fellowship, and the AAWW Open City Fellowship.

Silverfish (Feature)

Raj Krishna (Director): UCLA graduate and New York-born Raj Krishna began his film career in production before moving into writing and directing. His producing credits include My ‘Friend’ Mick (directed by Ankush Jindal), the Busan-premiering short Knock Knock Knock (directed by Sudhanshu Saria and acquired by Mubi) and the documentary The Reunited States (directed by Ben Rekhi and distributed by Dark Star Pictures). Raj’s cannibal horror script Varna Heights was selected for India’s NFDC Co-Production Market, and he made his directorial debut with the mystery short Padmavyuha, which opened the International Indian Film Festival of Toronto. He is currently developing his first feature film.

Sudhanshu Saria: Born in Darjeeling, Sudhanshu Saria is a National Award-winning director, writer, producer, and showrunner. A graduate of Ithaca College, he began his career in Los Angeles handling international acquisitions and sales before founding his banner, Four Line Films. His debut feature as director-producer, Loev (2017), premiered at SXSW and was released worldwide on Netflix. His next film, Knock Knock Knock (2019), won India’s National Award for Best Director and was acquired by MUBI. In 2024, he served as showrunner on Amazon Prime’s Big Girls Don’t Cry and directed Ulajh, now on Netflix. His latest feature, Sanaa, is preparing for release.

Thottal Poo Malarum (Flowers Bloom when Touched) (Feature)

Priyanka Krishnan (writer/director): is a New York City-based lesbian, fat-positive, South Asian filmmaker from India. She spent over a decade at companies like Hulu, DreamWorks Animation, and Francis Ford Coppola Winery, where she pioneered DEI initiatives in storytelling and advocated for LGBTQ+ and women-of-color leadership across media and technology. She produced the short O’sey Balaama (Sundance, 2026) and is currently in post-production on her short film Butter (Jack Larson Collaboration Grant). Priyanka is pursuing an MFA in Screenwriting and Directing at Columbia University and is the co-founder of Andarated Productions.

Raman Nimmala (writer/creative producer): explores stories at the intersection of plural cultural and social identities. A Columbia University MFA graduate based between New York and India, his directorial debut, O’Sey Balamma, premiered at Sundance 2026. As a producer, Raman has supported films screened at HollyShorts, Frameline, and New Orleans. His short Rainbow Girls won the Grand Jury Award at NewFest, received the Iris Prize, and represented Columbia University’s Film Program. A recipient of the Arthur J. Krim Memorial Scholarship, Raman has worked in distribution at Variance Films and co-founded Andarated Productions.