Performers for the SWA Awards, 2020
Hosts/ Anchors of the SWA Awards 2020:
Varun Badola and Rajeshwari Sachdev
Varun Badola
About the Performer:
Varun Badola: Varun Badola is an Indian actor, known largely for his roles on television. He is portraying Ambar Sharma Mere Dad Ki Dulhan since 2019.
Rajeshwari Sachdev
About the Performer:
Rajeshwari Sachdev: Rajeshwari Sachdev is an Indian actress who is known for her role in Shyam Benegal’s film Sardari Begum, for which she won the 1997 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. Sachdev co-hosted the Zee TV musical show, Antakshari from 1994 to 2001 with Annu Kapoor.
Opening Act: Comedy Sketch by Aatish Kapadia
Performance: Aatish Kapadia has created a fictional character named Jignesh Bhansali who is a writer. He chats about what makes a writer unhappy in general. It’s a tongue in cheek act to display the weird behaviour of the world towards writers.
Aatish Kapadia
About the Performer:
Aatish Kapadia: Aatish Kapadia is a writer, producer, and director working in the Hindi film and television industry. He is most famous for writing, directing and producing the iconic comedy shows Khichdi, Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai & Baa Bahoo Aur Baby. Apart from this he also wrote and directed the film Khichdi: The Movie. He began his career as an actor in the Gujarati theatre and wrote Gujarati soaps before he became a writer in the Hindi Television Industry.
Stand-Up Act Comedy by Varun Grover
Performance: Varun Grover’s special stand-up act for SWA Awards is called WRITER FIGHTER HUA – as an ode to Jaspal Bhatti’s FLOP SHOW title song. It focuses on many challenges and bizarre demands writers face in this industry – from ‘writing for exposure and not for money’ to catering to the idiosyncrasies of the market (‘edgy banaao edgy’) to navigating the challenging landscape of new streaming platforms (‘cold open’, ‘episode hook pe khatam hona chaahiye’).
The 10-minute act will feature jokes on your favourite shows (including shows written by Varun himself) and the most relatable moments in a writer’s life.
Varun Grover
About the Performer:
Varun Grover: Varun Grover is a National Award winning lyricist and a stand-up comic, poet, and screenwriter working in the Hindi Film industry. He is best known for writing the critically acclaimed film Masaan and the popular Netflix series Sacred Games adapted from Vikram Chandra’s novel of the same name. He is also the co-founder of Aisi Taisi Democracy, a musical-political satire show.
He started his career by writing for the TV Shows The Great Indian Comedy Show, Oye! It’s Friday!, 10 Ka Dum and Jai Hind!. He has written lyrics for several films that include Gangs of Wasseypur-1 & 2, Aankhon Dekhi, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Newton and Udta Punjab.
Lyrical Jugalbandi by Shellee & Hussain Haidry
Performance: Andaaz – E – Bayaan aur …
This is a Jugalbandi of Writers on Writers By Shellee and Hussain Haidry .
It’s a light-hearted Conversation on what it means to be a Writer, lyricist in the Hindi film industry, and how it feels to be one. It speaks of their hardships and their joys, their plight and their pride, their conflicts and their creations. It is an assertion of their being and who they’d want to be, with the usual self-aware humour. Its Ironical, funny, Sarcastic and thought provoking but it’s the Truth.
Shellee (Shailendra Singh Sodhi)
About the Performer:
Shellee (Shailendra Singh Sodhi)
Shellee is a renowned poet and lyricist working in the Hindi film industry. After working in theatre for several years he began writing lyrics with the film Dev D. He went on to write lyrics for several films like Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, Shahid, Udta Punjab, Philauri & Manmarziyaan. He has also collaborated extensively with the band Agnee and penned several songs for Coke Studio, India. His most recent work is for the film Jawaani Jaaneman released in 2020.
Hussain Haidry
About the Performer:
Hussain Haidry:
Hussain Haidry is a spoken word poet, writer and lyricist. He is best known for his poems Hindustani Musalmaan & Chipkali. He has written lyrics for the films Gurgaon, Qarib Qarib Single, Mukkabaaz & Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota. He is also the co-writer of the Amazon Web Series Laakhon Mein Ek-2.
Illusionary Act by Akshay Laxman
Performance: Akshay Laxman is a mentalist and mind reader who’s been amazing audiences worldwide with his mind boggling skills of Mentalism.
But guess what? As a Child and a Teenager, Akshay had only TWO passions – Mentalism and Film Making! And today, on the occasion of Screenwriters Association’s Awards, Akshay is combining his Two Passions, to give us the FIRST of its kind Show, where you get to experience the Skills of a Mentalist, with a flavour of Film-Making & Screenwriting!
Akshay Laxman
About the Performer:
Akshay Laxman: Akshay Laxman is an illusionist, mentalist and hypnotist who is well known for his mind reading acts. He has done shows all over the world and also performs for leading corporates in India. He has made appearances in TV Shows like India’s Got Talent, Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega, and Masterchef India–3 and also performed for Paani Foundation an NGO run by Aamir Khan.
Musical Performance by Vishal Bhardwaj and Rekha Bhardwaj
Performance: A song that is written and composed by Vishal Bhardwaj and Rekha Bhardwaj will be launched/ played first on the SWA Awards, 2020.
Vishal Bharadwaj
About the Performer:
Vishal Bharadwaj: Vishal Bharadwaj is a National Award winning film director, screenwriter, producer, music composer, and playback singer who has also been acclaimed internationally for writing and directing a trilogy of films Maqbool, Omkara & Haider adapted from Shakespeare’s plays Macbeth, Othello and Hamlet respectively. His other notable films as a director are Makdee, Kaminey, The Blue Umbrella, Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola and 7 Khoon Maaf. He has composed music for several films including Satya, Maachis, Hu Tu Tu, Ishqiya and most recently for the films Pataakha & Sonchiriya.
Rekha Bharadwaj
About the Performer:
Rekha Bharadwaj: Rekha Bhardwaj is a National & Filmfare award winning singer and performer known for her unique husky voice and soulful singing. She started her career with the song Ek Who Din Bhi in the movie Chachi 420 which was followed by her first album Ishqa Ishqa penned by Gulzar. She is widely recognised for singing the song Namak Ishq Ka in the movie Omkara. Some of the most popular songs by her include, Sasural Genda Phool from Delhi 6, Raat Ke Dhai Baje, Ranjha Ranjha from Raavan, Darling from Saat Khoon Maaf, Kabira & Ghagra from Yeh Jawani Hai Dewani and Phir Le Aaya Dil from Barfi. Her most recent work is for the film Pari.
Address
Screenwriters Association
201-204, Plot No. B-29,
Off New Link Road,
Opposite City Mall,
Andheri West,
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053
