Screenwriting
Main Vaapas Aaunga
Rooted in the Partition era
Nayanika’s latest film, Main Vaapas Aaunga, co-written with acclaimed filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, has a stellar ensemble cast led by Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Sharvari and Vedang Raina. Notably, the film will reunite the legendary trio of Ali, AR Rahman, and Irshad Kamil, who have given some of their most memorable soundtracks in films like Amar Singh Chamkila, Tamasha, and Rockstar. Rooted in the Partition era, this film will release in cinemas worldwide on 12 June 2026.
SHAKUNTALA DEVI
HUMAN COMPUTER
Nayanika Mahtani has co-written the story and screenplay for a Hindi film, Shakuntala Devi (a biopic drama), with leading Indian actor, Vidya Balan in the titular role. This film released on Amazon Prime Video in July 2020 and ranks amongst Amazon’s ‘Most Watched Hindi Films Worldwide’.
Nayanika’s latest YA novel, Across the Line, is presently in development as a film, for which she has adapted the story for screen. The story is told through a unique lens as we see the Partition and its aftermath through the eyes of youngsters in 1947 – and then again, two generations later, through the eyes of two youngsters in the present – underlining how what we value remains much the same – as does what we mindlessly kill for.
Nayanika is also working on a limited drama series and a feature film for leading production houses.
Books
Nayanika’s books are published by Penguin Random House. With genres ranging from historical fiction to multi-generational family sagas, her books have received critical acclaim, ranked as bestsellers and won awards (including the prestigious South Asia Book Award).
