Growing up in a family that thrived on cinema, screenwriter Smruti Tarana knew right from the outset that she would go on to pursue a career in movies. The Los Angeles-based screenwriter, who worked on the animated series, The Mindful Adventures of Unicorn Island, helmed by Lilly Singh, talks about her journey, Indian representation in Hollywood, and bringing a director's vision to screen. Excerpts...
What made you take the plunge into screenwriting?
As a child, I used to read every book I could lay my hands on, and used to imagine how the story would play out in front of my eyes as a scene. I also wrote short stories and drew comics for myself, many of them inspired by movies and TV shows I had watched or people I saw on the street, where I’d imagine a whole fantastic life for them. I think some part of me always knew I would take the plunge into this field, but I fully dived into screenwriting when I was in college. Writing scripts for class and for student productions was my favourite way to express my creativity, and I knew then that I wanted to pursue this as a career.
You grew up in a family that leaned towards films. Was that a major shot in the arm for your pursuit?
It made my dreams feel tangible, and gave me a realistic look into the career I was pursuing. Both my parents work in creative fields. So, I was encouraged to work on my writing skills and consider it a legitimate career. They always stressed the fact that the film industry is a hard place to make a name for yourself, but it's important and fulfilling work. I was lucky to have their encouragement from the outset, and I studied screenwriting in college. It has definitely made me a more confident writer and person.
What kind of original animated pilot TV script are you planning to pen as part of the Writing for Animation Mentorship Program?
The script I am working on is a tween comedy called Worthington’s Girls. It’s about three best friends in 8th grade who don’t really fit in at school but have found their community online as fans of Worthington’s Lady, a Regency era romance with new chapters every week. The girls’ lives turn upside down when Knight Sir Worthington, the romantic hero, comes to life—every girl’s dream, right? Not totally. It’s strange and rocky at first, but soon they form an endearing friendship as these misfits try to find themselves together.
Tell us about your experience working on The Mindful Adventures of Unicorn Island, which had a diverse work environment.
It was an amazing experience that I will always look back on fondly. I was lucky enough to be on the project from the ideation stage, so I was able to contribute to the small, but important details while telling this story of an Indian family. The team was truly dedicated to create a diverse cast, crew, and writers, with a majority of women and Indians making up the force of the show. It was amazing to see how a story about people like me was treated with so much care and reverence, and received so warmly once it premiered on YouTube. Working on this show has made me optimistic about the future of authentic representation in Hollywood, and I am excited to contribute to it.
How do you bring a director's vision to screen?
I think a screenwriter and director have equal responsibility and desire to help bring each other’s vision to light. As a screenwriter, I would use a lot of visual language with my scene descriptions and leave room for them to improvise, showing that I have a specific vision but also trusting that they will execute it with their own flair. Likewise, a director would honour the writer’s vision by doing their best to understand the themes and style of the script and find ways to bring that out visually.
What are the tropes that should be broken about Indian representation in Hollywood?
I think almost every trope about Indian representation in Hollywood needs to be broken. The stereotypes about Indians are so weary, overused, and lack nuance of any kind. I think South Asians are also the last group against whom casual racism is still somewhat accepted and thought of as 'funny'—just go into the comment section of any videos with Indians in them. I think we lack good representation because we don't have enough Indian talent behind the camera, so any Indian character is written without dimension. Thankfully, this is changing, and the popularity of shows like Never Have I Ever is proving that Indian stories are important and financially viable. I’m excited for this new era of Hollywood portraying Indian people as diverse and complex as we are.
How has your experience been working as a woman of colour in Hollywood?
I think I’ve had a better experience than most as a woman of colour in Hollywood, and I’m very grateful for that. Working on a team as diverse as the one in The Mindful Adventures of Unicorn Island this early in my career was a rare privilege, but it also shows that it's becoming more commonplace. I’ve definitely experienced my share of prejudices and preconceived notions—my talent and humour have been second-guessed just because of my race and upbringing—but at the same time, I’ve also learned that my Indianness makes my stories unique, and it's always what draws people to my writing.
What are your upcoming projects?
I’m currently working on developing a couple of projects, both in the scripted comedy and documentary spaces. The project I’m most excited for is an original show I’m writing that I hope will become the first Indian sitcom.
What do you think is the future of diverse representation in Hollywood?
I am hopeful and optimistic about the future of diverse representation in Hollywood. We have slowly been seeing people of colour take charge as directors, writers, producers, and studio executives, which has resulted in some amazing stories being released. I’m also seeing the process of working in Hollywood becoming more democratised with the rise of social media’s global reach, so we’re going to be seeing lots of talented people of colour get the opportunities they’ve always deserved.
What are the collaborations you are looking forward to?
I love writing for TV since it's a collaborative process. I am looking forward to moving forward with my current projects and bringing in more talented writers and peers that I admire. I am also looking forward to the day where I can collaborate with diverse directors and producers I admire, like Lilly Singh, Reese Witherspoon, Anjali Menon, Zoya Akhtar, and many more.
You can contact the writer over email at sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com and follow her on Twitter @psangeetha2112