What’s your name? Where were you born? Where do you live? And what’s your hobby?

Vikas Bandhu. I was born in New York in 1979. I live in Los Angeles. My hobbies include reading, watching tennis, cooking.

Where did you come up with the concept that just placed as Finalist in the screenplay contest? How long did it take you to develop it into the screenplay it is now?

I came up with the concept in 2019. It took my four months from concept to first draft. The script sat for about 15 months as I worked on other projects. Once I picked the script up again I did about three weeks of hard revisions and it was complete.

From concept to finished draft, can you take us through your screenwriting process?

I did an outline and then a treatment. Then I wrote the script based on the treatment.

When did you realize that you wanted to become a screenwriter?

When I was in college and took my first film studies class.

Who are your biggest filmmaking/screenwriting influences? What about their style do you like or borrow?

On the film side, Alfred Hitchcock. I like to take his sense of surprise. You think you know where things are going and then he takes it a whole new direction. On the TV side I like shows like Justified, Mad Men, the Sopranos, The Closer, Major Crimes, Law and Order. My script was inspired by Chernobyl and Succession.

Have you ever been obsessed with a movie or TV show? If so, which one? Why?

Justified, Mad Men, the Sopranos, The Closer, Major Crimes, Law and Order. Psycho, Apocalypse now, The Godfather, Point Blank.

What’s your favorite moment in cinema history? Why?

The entire film SHOLAY (classic Bollywood film from the 70s)

Who’s your favorite character in cinema history? Why?

Too many to name…. Maybe Indiana Jones.

If you could talk to anyone from any era, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Shonda Rhimes one most successful TV creator of all time. I’d ask her advice.