Breakdown Besties Podcast

Breakdown Besties Podcast
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A screenwriting classroom experience for aspiring Bollywood screenwriters. Analysing and studying the screenwriting techniques used on the page to make Bollywood films come alive on the screen. Welcome to the Breakdown Besties Podcast! We're your hosts, Akshay and Ananya, two Bollywood screenwriters having written shows like Mismatched, Inside Edge, Wedding.con, Rana Naidu, Ishq in the Air, and Grahan, amongst others. Every Thursday, we breakdown films to examine the screenwriting techniques used to make iconic Bollywood films... well, iconic. We cover logline construction, hero's journey breakdown, scene and dialogue analysis, plot and theme, and other craft devices. Just like you would in a screenwriting classroom. Once you're done listening to the episode, rewatch the movie, now noting how the techniques used on the page come alive on the screen. And know that you're now one step closer to being a professional-level screenwriter. Questions? Suggestions? Ideas? Shoot 'em to us at breakdownbesties@gmail.com In case of a breakdown, your besties are right here for you!

  1. 3d ago

    E30: Wake Up Sid FOOLED YOU

    Wake Up Sid is often remembered as a coming-of-age film about finding yourself, growing up and figuring out what you want from life. But structurally, there’s something much more interesting happening underneath. In this episode of Breakdown Besties, we break down Wake Up Sid as a screenwriting case study, looking at Sid’s Hero’s Journey, Aisha’s parallel character arc, the film’s theme of independence, and the point where its coming-of-age story starts competing with its romance. We also examine why Sid’s transformation feels unusually easy, how the film uses supporting characters to help him grow, and whether Wake Up Sid is trying to combine two different genres. Then we get into the craft: logline, Hero’s Journey, character creation, thematic storytelling, scene construction, contradiction, callbacks, mini-arcs, meet-cute, romantic tropes and coming-of-age conventions. Written by Ayan Mukerji, with dialogues by Niranjan Iyengar, Wake Up Sid stars Ranbir Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma. In this episode, we break down:How to write a coming-of-age character arcSid's Hero's JourneyAisha's parallel Hero's JourneyWhy Sid's ordeal is missingHow to build a strong film themeCharacter creation and character flawsHow supporting characters help a protagonist growWhy the romance feels separate from Sid's coming-of-age journeyHow to use contradiction in scenesHow callbacks show character progressionHow mini-arcs workHow Wake Up Sid uses and subverts romance tropesThe meet-cute and “clocking” tropesHow coming-of-age films make characters see beyond themselves Chapters00:00 Wake Up Sid: India's Coming-of-Age Film 02:10 How to Write a Strong Logline 05:30 Sid's Hero's Journey Begins 11:29 Sid Meets His Mentor 13:13 Crossing the Threshold: Sid Leaves Home 15:34 Why Sid's Hero's Journey Doesn't Fully Work 18:50 When Aisha's Story Takes Over 21:19 Sid's Resurrection and Ending 24:30 Why Wake Up Sid Feels Like Two Movies 33:32 The Theme: Do You Have to Be Lonely to Be Independent? 36:21 How to Write Romantic Tension Without Romance 38:55 Scene Craft: Using Contradiction 42:22 How Callbacks Show Character Growth 47:50 Character Creation: Building Sid and His Foils 57:48 Wake Up Sid's Romance & Coming-of-Age Tropes

    E30: Wake Up Sid FOOLED YOU

  2. Sep 25

    E29: SALMAN KHAN is the only REAL SUPERHERO. Bhavesh Joshi shows you why

    Why are Indian heroes so often written like superheroes? In this Bhavesh Joshi Superhero screenwriting breakdown, Ananya and Akshay look at how Vikramaditya Motwane's film uses the grammar of superhero movies to tell a much more grounded Indian vigilante story. The film was written by Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap and Abhay Koranne, and stars Harshvardhan Kapoor, Priyanshu Painyuli and Ashish Verma. We break down Bhavesh Joshi Superhero from a screenwriting perspective, including: Why Bhavesh Joshi works as a vigilante film rather than a traditional superhero movieHow the film uses superhero tropes such as secret identities, masks, hideouts and trainingWhy the film has two separate Hero's JourneysHow Bhavesh Joshi's death becomes Sikandar's call to actionThe film's central theme: how long should you fight for what's right?How Bhavesh, Sikandar and Rajat represent different responses to systemic corruptionWhy the second half struggles to maintain emotional investmentHow to create a compelling antagonist system through specific charactersWhy making your vigilante physically vulnerable makes the world feel more believableHow the opening sequence establishes the promise of a superhero movieHow intercutting creates tensionHow callbacks, investigations and visual storytelling communicate character changeIf you're a screenwriter, filmmaker, film student or anyone trying to understand story structure, this episode breaks down the actual mechanics behind the film rather than simply reviewing whether it works. Who wrote Bhavesh Joshi Superhero?Bhavesh Joshi Superhero was written by Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap and Abhay Koranne. Who directed Bhavesh Joshi Superhero?The film was directed by Vikramaditya Motwane. Who stars in Bhavesh Joshi Superhero?The film stars Harshvardhan Kapoor, Priyanshu Painyuli and Ashish Verma. Is Bhavesh Joshi Superhero a superhero movie?The film is better understood as a vigilante story using superhero conventions. The breakdown looks at why that distinction matters to the film's writing and world-building. What can screenwriters learn from Bhavesh Joshi Superhero?The film offers useful examples of Hero's Journey structure, character arcs, thematic character webs, genre tropes, world-building, action writing, intercutting and visual storytelling. Chapters00:00 Why India Doesn't Make Vigilante Movies 07:59 How to Write a Strong Logline 12:04 Bhavesh Joshi's Hero's Journey 24:20 Sikandar's Hero's Journey 33:22 The Theme: How Long Should You Fight for What's Right? 38:37 How Characters Can Represent a Theme 43:03 Why the Villains Don't Work 46:28 Why Bhavesh Joshi's Death Matters 49:05 Superhero Tropes: Masks, Training & Secret Identities 56:02 How to Make a Vigilante Feel Real 58:25 How Intercutting Creates Tension 01:00:19 Why the Opening Scene Works

    E29: SALMAN KHAN is the only REAL SUPERHERO. Bhavesh Joshi shows you why

  3. Sep 18

    E28: Your romance is FAILING. Veer-Zaara shows you why

    Veer-Zaara is one of Bollywood’s great epic romances, but what makes the film work at the screenplay level? In Episode 28 of the Breakdown Besties Podcast, Ananya and Akshay break down Veer-Zaara scene by scene to understand how the film constructs a 22-year love story around separation, sacrifice, yearning and the India-Pakistan conflict. The film’s story, screenplay and dialogues were written by Aditya Chopra, with Yash Chopra directing. The central cast includes Shah Rukh Khan as Veer, Preity Zinta as Zaara, and Rani Mukerji as Samia Siddiqui. We look at the film through a screenwriter’s lens, including: How the Hero’s Journey works for Veer and ZaaraHow Akshay maps a second Hero’s Journey through Rani Mukerji’s SamiaWhy the film’s theme is built around sacrifice and enduring loveHow Zaara functions as the film’s thematic characterRomance tropes including meet-cute, forced proximity, common task, yearning, rain and meeting the parentsHow the India-Pakistan relationship creates the film’s central story engineUsing contrast to make Veer’s transformation from young, happy man to prisoner land emotionallyHow to control the level of information given to characters versus the audienceTrigger mounting as a way of breaking through a character’s resistanceHow ticking clocks create tensionUsing misdirection without cheating the audienceHow callbacks can show that a relationship or character has remained emotionally consistentHow to create deeper characters by revealing contradictory sides of themUsing moral choices to reveal characterHow to push a protagonist against a wall and then subvert audience expectationsIf you're a screenwriter, filmmaker, or simply obsessed with figuring out why Bollywood movies work, this episode is a practical screenplay breakdown of one of Hindi cinema's most enduring romances. Watch the episode, then rewatch Veer-Zaara and see how many of these techniques you can spot yourself. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: FCT5MI3FDC2OAG28

    E28: Your romance is FAILING. Veer-Zaara shows you why

  4. Sep 11

    E27: YJHD is broken. It's two films. Theme makes it one movie.

    Screenwriter resources survey: https://forms.gle/vVFKJ6qdfAyCvF2A9 Why does Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani still work 13 years later? In this episode, we break down the screenplay, Hero's Journey, character arcs, rom-com tropes, theme, dialogue, subtext and scene construction behind Ayan Mukerji's 2013 coming-of-age film. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani is one of those films that looks deceptively simple. Four friends, a trek, a wedding, a love story, a few years apart. But underneath all the Udaipur weddings, mountain shots and suspiciously energetic young people, there is a lot going on structurally. In Episode 27 of the Breakdown Besties Podcast, Ananya and Akshay break down Ayan Mukerji's Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani from a screenwriter's perspective. We look at why the film can almost be understood as two coming-of-age films connected by one thematic question, how its two protagonists have different emotional journeys, and why the film works so well despite having relatively little conventional plot. We also get into the film's Hero's Journey, logline, coming-of-age and rom-com tropes, character development, scene construction, misdirection, callbacks, subtext, dialogue writing and thematic storytelling. And yes, we have opinions about the opening dialogue. In this episode, you'll learn: How to write a useful logline using flaw, goal, conflict and stakes Why Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani can be viewed as two separate coming-of-age stories How Naina and Bunny have different Hero's Journeys Why emotional progression matters even when a protagonist doesn't have an obvious external goal How songs can carry structural beats in an Indian commercial film How rom-com tropes such as the meet-cute, clocking, common task and transgressive touch create romantic tension How characters can exchange ideologies through conversation How to use objects and elements of the world to create action and conflict How misdirection can prevent a romantic storyline from becoming predictable Why callbacks are useful for showing how a relationship has changed How to deepen a character without making them passive How a foil can expose your protagonist's flaws How dialogue becomes memorable when characters have strong points of view How metaphor can turn an abstract feeling into a memorable line How subtext lets characters communicate what they can't say directly Why Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani had a cultural impact beyond its story The discussion also gets into one of the film's biggest thematic questions: Can you have a life of freedom and a life of stability, or does choosing one mean giving up the other? And, perhaps more importantly for writers, does the film actually answer that question convincingly?

    E27: YJHD is broken. It's two films. Theme makes it one movie.

  5. Sep 4

    E26: Chhichhore Should Be An Adult Film. The Characters Are Why It Isn’t

    Screenwriter resources survey: https://forms.gle/vVFKJ6qdfAyCvF2A9 What makes Chhichhore work as a screenplay? In this episode of the Breakdown Besties Podcast, we break down Nitesh Tiwari, Nikhil Mehrotra and Piyush Gupta's Chhichhore from a screenwriting perspective, looking at the story structure, character development, comedy writing, ensemble cast, theme, conflict and world building. We get into why the film's simple logline works, how its Hero's Journey is structured, how comedy uses techniques like the rule of three and callbacks, and why the writers introduce their ensemble characters gradually instead of throwing everyone at the audience at once. We also look at one of the film's central dramatic questions: Who is a loser? And how Chhichhore keeps answering that question throughout the story. If you're a screenwriter, filmmaker, aspiring writer or simply someone who wants to understand why Bollywood films work, this breakdown gives you practical screenwriting lessons you can apply to your own scripts. In this episode:How to build a strong loglineFinding flaw, goal, conflict and stakesThe Hero's Journey in ChhichhoreHow the film establishes its central themeUsing conflict to reveal characterShow vs. tell in character writingContradictions that make characters feel humanThe Rule of Three in comedyHow callbacks strengthen relationshipsDifferent levels of comedy and why "stupid" humour can workHow to introduce an ensemble cast efficientlyCharacter entry sequences and economical storytellingIntercutting two timelines for emotional and thematic payoffBuilding an authentic college world through lived experience and researchUsing tone as a constraint in screenwritingChapters00:00 The comedy techniques that make Chhichhore work 01:34 Chhichhore and why its humour resonates 01:56 The logline: finding the film's central story 03:54 Breaking down Chhichhore's logline 06:01 The stakes behind the "loser" tag 06:37 The Hero's Journey begins 09:22 Multiple calls to action 18:45 Reward, failure and the final Hero's Journey beats 20:42 The theme: Who is a loser? 29:13 The three levels of comedy 30:27 Rule of Three and callbacks 31:40 Using conflict to reveal a character 50:15 How to introduce an ensemble cast 1:02:20 Why the two timelines work 1:02:42 Building a believable world 1:03:17 Lived experience, research and tone 1:04:49 Final thoughts on Chhichhore

    E26: Chhichhore Should Be An Adult Film. The Characters Are Why It Isn’t

  6. Aug 28

    The Secret to Screenwriting Stardom with Writer of Om Shanti Om - Mayur Puri

    What actually goes into writing a film like Om Shanti Om? In this episode of Breakdown Besties, Ananya and Akshay sit down with Mayur Puri, writer of Om Shanti Om, for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the craft, choices and accidents that shaped one of Bollywood’s most memorable films. Mayur talks about how he got the opportunity to write Om Shanti Om, the unusual story behind “Ek Chutki Sindoor,” and how the film’s reincarnation structure was built. They also break down some of the film’s most memorable sequences, including the moon scene, the tiger fight, the use of trigger questions, character arcs, dialogue writing, Easter eggs and improvisation on set. The conversation goes beyond Om Shanti Om too. Mayur opens up about leaving Bollywood, starting Story Circus, why he believes writers need to write every day, and what eventually brought him back to writing. If you're interested in screenwriting, Bollywood filmmaking, dialogue writing, character development, film structure, or the story behind Om Shanti Om, this is a conversation worth watching. What you'll learn in this episode How Mayur Puri got the Om Shanti Om writing assignment The story behind his “Ek Chutki Sindoor” audition How the reincarnation structure works Why the second half mirrors the first How the famous moon scene came together The thinking behind the tiger sequence How writers use trigger questions Why some dialogue works because of what it makes the audience ask How Easter eggs and Bollywood references were created What improvisation looked like between the writer, actors and director Why certain scenes were removed What Mayur learned from working with Farah Khan Chapters 00:58 — Meet Mayur Puri, Writer of Om Shanti Om 02:41 — What It Feels Like to Have Written an Iconic Film 05:43 — Why Mayur Reboots His Life Every Five Years 08:05 — How Mayur Got the Om Shanti Om Job 10:14 — “Ek Chutki Sindoor” Was His Secret Audition 13:00 — Why Om Shanti Om Almost Didn’t Get Made This Way 21:20 — The Reincarnation Formula Behind the Second Half 24:31 — Why Dhoom Had Zero Deleted Scenes 26:03 — The Story Behind the Famous Tiger Fight 30:11 — Mayur Puri on Acting With Shah Rukh Khan 35:42 — The Big Moon Scene 44:40 — The Easter Eggs Hidden in Om Shanti Om 46:37 — What Mayur Learned From Every New Project 48:12 — Why You Can’t Make Every Film Like Om Shanti Om 52:47 — The Real Lesson Mayur Took From Making the Film 54:40 — What Happened After Om Shanti Om Released 59:16 — How Om Shanti Om Changed Mayur’s Life 1:09:48 — Why Mayur Believes Writers Must Write Every Day 1:12:43 — Leaving Bollywood and Starting Story Circus 1:15:21 — Why Mayur Almost Said No to Happy New Year 1:17:11 — What Brought Mayur Back to Writing 1:18:15 — The People Who Keep Writers Going 1:20:53 — Om Kapoor Has the Bigger Character Arc 1:21:45 — Indian vs Western Character Arcs 1:22:35 — The Final Word on Om Shanti Om Who wrote Om Shanti Om? Om Shanti Om was written by a team including Farah Khan, Mayur Puri & Mushtaq Sheikh Who is Mayur Puri? Mayur Puri is an Indian screenwriter, dialogue writer, lyricist and filmmaker who has worked across Hindi cinema and has been part of films including Om Shanti Om. How was Mayur Puri selected for Om Shanti Om? Mayur was asked to write a sample scene for a look test. The scene, Ek Chutki Sindoor, effectively became his audition for the film. What can screenwriters learn from Om Shanti Om? The film offers lessons in genre, dialogue, character, foreshadowing, world-building, scene construction, rewriting and using references and Easter eggs without losing the story.

    The Secret to Screenwriting Stardom with Writer of Om Shanti Om - Mayur Puri

  7. Aug 21

    E25: Your plot is predictable! Om Shanti Om shows you why that works | Screenwriting Masterclass

    Om Shanti Om Screenwriting Breakdown | Hero’s Journey, Character, Dialogue & Scene Craft Written by Farah Khan, Mayur Puri, & Mushtaq Sheikh What makes Om Shanti Om work as a screenplay? In Episode 25 of Breakdown Besties, Ananya and Akshay break down Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om from a screenwriter's perspective, looking at the structural choices, character design, genre conventions, scene construction and dialogue techniques that make the film so tightly plotted. The film is especially interesting because it effectively contains two Hero’s Journeys. Shah Rukh Khan's character dies and is reborn into a completely different world, creating a second narrative that is driven by the first. The episode maps both journeys and looks at how the two halves inform each other. We also get into some of the smaller writing choices that make the screenplay work: cause and effect, micro-conflict, callbacks, mirror scenes, the Rule of Three, genre tropes, character layering, Easter eggs, foreshadowing and dialogue repetition. If you're a screenwriter, aspiring screenwriter, film student or simply someone who wants to understand how Bollywood films are actually constructed, this episode is a practical breakdown of the craft behind Om Shanti Om. In this episode, we discuss: How to build a logline around a protagonist's goal, limitation, conflict and stakes Why Om Shanti Om has two Hero’s Journeys How the Hero’s Journey can remain emotionally coherent even when individual beats are compressed or unconventional How cause and effect keeps a screenplay tightly plotted How to use scenes to establish the protagonist's want immediately How the Rule of Three can become a mini-arc with consequences How mirror scenes reveal character growth How micro-conflict keeps scenes from becoming static How callbacks can track changes in relationships How genre tropes create audience anticipation How character secrets create layering How worldbuilding can generate conflict How Easter eggs reward an audience without becoming plot exposition How to use foreshadowing in dialogue How dialogue can reveal a character's status How a film pass, world pass and language pass can make dialogue specific to its world How repetition can make a single piece of dialogue carry an entire relationship Chapters 00:00 Intro: One Year of Breakdown Besties 03:00 The Logline of Om Shanti Om 10:06 Hero’s Journey: Why This Film Has Two 12:27 Hero’s Journey #1: Om Prakash Makija 24:00 Hero’s Journey #2: Om Kapoor 35:35 Theme: How Long Should Justice Be Pursued? 38:19 Scenes & Sequences: Meeting Audience Expectations 42:04 Retelling Old Stories for New Audiences 44:06 Easter Eggs & Audience Reward 46:05 Rule of Three + Mini-Arcs 48:38 Mirror Scenes & Character Growth 50:02 Coincidence, Planning & Conflict 55:28 Callbacks: Repeating Moments With Purpose 58:01 Micro-Conflict: Keeping Scenes Moving 59:03 Rom-Com Genre Tropes 01:03:56 Reincarnation Genre Tropes 01:05:18 Character Creation: Making Us Love Om 01:08:30 Worldbuilding Through Conflict 01:11:20 Dialogue: Foreshadowing & Status 01:13:30 The Movie Pass in Dialogue 01:15:13 Bombay Language & Character Voice 01:17:10 Dialogue Repetition & Character Identity Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: I8DNWPXZDEONTA51

    E25: Your plot is predictable! Om Shanti Om shows you why that works | Screenwriting Masterclass

  8. Aug 13

    E24: Left-wing propaganda or patriotism?! | Rang De Basanti (2006) Screenwriting Masterclass

    Rang De Basanti is more than a patriotic film. Twenty years after its release, it still feels uncomfortably relevant. Why? Because the writers didn't just tell a story about six college friends. They built a screenplay that connects personal grief, political anger, history, friendship, and revolution into one emotional journey. In this episode of the Breakdown Besties Podcast, we break down the screenwriting techniques that make Rang De Basanti one of the most enduring films in Indian cinema. From parallel storytelling to symbolism, character transformation, narrative structure, and emotional payoffs, we examine why this screenplay continues to resonate decades later. The episode also explores why so many moments in the film feel as though they were written for today's headlines. That observation becomes a recurring theme throughout the discussion. Chapters: 00:00 Hot Takes 00:38 Introduction 4:24 Logline Breakdown 8:33 Hero’s Journey 27:03 Theme Analysis 36:41 Character Creation Techniques 51:46 Scenes Analysis and Breakdown 🎬 In this episode, we discuss:Why Rang De Basanti feels just as relevant today as it did in 2006How the film uses historical revolutionaries to reshape the identities of its present-day charactersParallel timelines and why they work so well in this screenplaySymbolism and the use of mirrored characters across different generationsHow the screenplay turns carefree college students into political activistsCharacter transformation and the gradual shift from apathy to actionHow the film humanizes almost every character instead of reducing them to heroes and villainsWhy the system, not an individual, becomes the true antagonistHow the writers avoid the "white savior" trope with Sue's characterWhy Rang De Basanti succeeds as both a political drama and a coming-of-age storyThe importance of emotional storytelling in historical and political cinemaHow the film uses non-linear storytelling at key moments to maximize emotional impactWhy breaking your own narrative rules can sometimes make a scene more powerful 🎥 About Rang De Basanti (2006)Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Written by: Kamlesh PandeyRensil D'SilvaRakeysh Omprakash MehraPrasoon JoshiStarring: Aamir KhanSiddharthSharman JoshiKunal KapoorAtul KulkarniSoha Ali KhanAlice PattenR. MadhavanWaheeda RehmanAnupam Kher 🎧 About Breakdown BestiesWe're two produced Bollywood screenwriters with credits on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. Every week, we break down iconic films and extract the screenwriting techniques that make them work. No film-school jargon. Just practical storytelling techniques you can apply to your own script. KeywordsRang De Basanti explained, Rang De Basanti screenwriting, Rang De Basanti analysis, Breakdown Besties podcast, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Bollywood screenplay analysis, patriotic films in India, political storytelling, symbolism in films, parallel storytelling, character transformation, ensemble screenwriting, screenplay breakdown, film analysis podcast, how to write political dramas, non-linear storytelling, historical storytelling, Indian cinema analysis, screenwriting podcast, Bollywood writing techniques.

    E24: Left-wing propaganda or patriotism?! | Rang De Basanti (2006) Screenwriting Masterclass
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About

A screenwriting classroom experience for aspiring Bollywood screenwriters. Analysing and studying the screenwriting techniques used on the page to make Bollywood films come alive on the screen. Welcome to the Breakdown Besties Podcast! We're your hosts, Akshay and Ananya, two Bollywood screenwriters having written shows like Mismatched, Inside Edge, Wedding.con, Rana Naidu, Ishq in the Air, and Grahan, amongst others. Every Thursday, we breakdown films to examine the screenwriting techniques used to make iconic Bollywood films... well, iconic. We cover logline construction, hero's journey breakdown, scene and dialogue analysis, plot and theme, and other craft devices. Just like you would in a screenwriting classroom. Once you're done listening to the episode, rewatch the movie, now noting how the techniques used on the page come alive on the screen. And know that you're now one step closer to being a professional-level screenwriter. Questions? Suggestions? Ideas? Shoot 'em to us at breakdownbesties@gmail.com In case of a breakdown, your besties are right here for you!

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  • Creator
    Breakdown Besties Podcast
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Breakdown Besties Podcast
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    Breakdown Besties Podcast