Ritesh Shah

Ritesh Shah’s journey is honestly kind of wild, and not in the way people usually say that. So, he kicked things off at Hindu College, majoring in English Lit—one of those classic routes if you’re into words and stories. After that, he dove into Mass Communications over at Jamia Millia Islamia, which is basically where you go if you want to get serious about media. But here’s where it gets good: he didn’t just fade into the crowd. He started out writing plays for Act One Art Group in Delhi. Not small potatoes, either—his play “Othello – A play in black and white” snagged a Fringe Award, so you know he’s got chops. Then, almost like he got bored or something, he jumped to TV in 1999. And trust me, he didn't just dabble. He wrote for shows like “Josh,” “Kashmeer,” “Krishna Arjun,” and the award-winning “Kagaar.” Pretty solid TV creds, right? But nah, Ritesh wanted more. So, he took a swing at Bollywood. Started with dialogue for biggies like “Kahaani” and “Namastey London,” and then teamed up for stuff like “D-day” and “Airlift.” His solo stuff? “B.A. Pass,” “Citylights,” “Force,” “Pink,” and “Raid.” “Pink” especially—critics went nuts for it. And, awards? Of course. He got Filmfare nods for “B.A. Pass” and “D-day,” plus Zee Cine love too. But the real flex? He straight-up won Filmfare, Zee Cine, and Star Screen for “Pink.” Not bad for a guy who started out in Delhi theatre, right?