Anjum Rajabali is an Indian screenwriter associated with Hindi cinema. He is known for writing scripts that engage with political, social, and historical themes, and has played a prominent role in advocating for screenwriters' rights and in formal screenwriting education in India.
| Name | Anjum Rajabali |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Screenwriter, educator |
| Industry | Hindi cinema (Bollywood) |
| Notable affiliations | Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Whistling Woods International, Screenwriters Association (India) |
Before entering the film industry, Rajabali trained in psychology, a background that has often been reflected in his approach to character writing. He moved into screenwriting in Mumbai and gradually established himself as a writer attentive to structure, dramatic conflict, and socio-political subject matter.
Rajabali has written or co-written screenplays for several mainstream Hindi films directed by leading filmmakers. His credits include collaborations on films exploring crime, politics, and contemporary Indian society, working with directors such as Govind Nihalani, Prakash Jha, and Mahesh Manjrekar.
Rajabali has been closely involved with screenwriting pedagogy in India. He has headed the screenwriting course at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune and has also taught screenwriting at Whistling Woods International in Mumbai. Through workshops and lectures, he has influenced a generation of younger Indian screenwriters.
He has been an active member of the Screenwriters Association (formerly the Film Writers' Association) in India, where he has worked on issues relating to writers' contracts, credits, and intellectual property rights. He has been associated with efforts to standardise minimum basic contracts for writers in the Hindi film industry.
Rajabali is regarded as one of the senior figures in Hindi screenwriting, recognised both for his collaborations on politically engaged mainstream films and for his contribution to formalising screenwriting as a craft and profession in India. His twin roles as practitioner and teacher have made him a reference point in discussions on Indian script development.