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. 2d ago

    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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Aug 6

    E23: Hindi Medium (2017) screenwriting breakdown

    Want to break into Bollywood as a paid screenwriter? We teach you all the writing tips, tricks, and techniques to become the best Bollywood writer you can be! Welcome to the screenwriting breakdown and analysis of Bollywood film Hindi Medium (2017) starring Irrfan Khan. Written by Zeenat Lakhani, Saket Chaudhary and Amitosh Nagpal, this film explores the wide education gap in India. In this episode of the Breakdown Besties, your film-school level screenwriting class experience, we analyze the techniques used in the script, to make the film come alive on the screen. Here’s what we cover: 0:00 Introduction 00:59 Logline breakdown 05:09 Hero's Journey analysis 24:21 Theme analysis 29:52 Scene construction techniques 53:34 World building analysis 55:35 Character Creation techniques And after you’re done watching the episode, we recommend you watch Hindi Medium, now with all the awareness of the techniques, and see how they’re executed to bring entertainment to life. So whether you’re in the heart of Bollywood in Mumbai, refining your craft for your next gig, or making your way here from near and far – we’re sure the Breakdown Besties Podcast will further the course of your screenwriting craft and career. And if there’s any movie or TV episode you’d like us to break down, or you have any questions, – drop them down in the comments. Your besties are here for you! Hit subscribe and we’ll see you next week on another episode of Breakdown Besties! All film clips and stills used belong to the owners. We do not own any copyright of the same. They are only being used transformationally for educational purposes.

    E23: Hindi Medium (2017) screenwriting breakdown

  6. Jul 30

    E22: Bhoot (2003) Screenwriting Breakdown

    Want to break into Bollywood as a paid screenwriter? We teach you all the writing tips, tricks, and techniques to become the best Bollywood writer you can be! Welcome to the screenwriting breakdown and analysis of Bollywood film Bhoot (2003) starring Ajay Devgn and Urmila Matondkar. Written by Sameer Sharma and Lalit Marathe, this film is one of Bollywood’s spookiest horror stories with some real scares and a theme that runs deeper than what you’d expect from a movie of this genre! In this episode of the Breakdown Besties, your film-school level screenwriting class experience, we analyze the techniques used in the script, to make the film come alive on the screen. Here’s what we cover: 0:00 Introduction 02:33 Logline breakdown 13:19 Hero's Journey analysis 31:24 Theme analysis 35:10 Scene construction techniques 52:50 Genre tropes analysis 49:43 Character Creation techniques And after you’re done watching the episode, we recommend you watch Bhoot, now with all the awareness of the techniques, and see how they’re executed to bring entertainment to life. So whether you’re in the heart of Bollywood in Mumbai, refining your craft for your next gig, or making your way here from near and far – we’re sure the Breakdown Besties Podcast will further the course of your screenwriting craft and career. And if there’s any movie or TV episode you’d like us to break down, or you have any questions, – drop them down in the comments. Your besties are here for you! Hit subscribe and we’ll see you next week on another episode of Breakdown Besties! All film clips and stills used belong to the owners. We do not own any copyright of the same. They are only being used transformationally for educational purposes.

    E22: Bhoot (2003) Screenwriting Breakdown

  7. Jul 23

    E21: Ek Tha Tiger Screenwriting Breakdown

    Welcome to the screenwriting breakdown and analysis of Bollywood film Ek Tha Tiger starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. Written by Aditya Chopra, Kabir Khan, and Neelesh Misra, this film explores how a RAW and ISI agent navigate a forbidden romantic relationship when love trumps the rules of nationalism. In this episode of the Breakdown Besties, your film-school level screenwriting class experience, we analyze the techniques used in the script, to make the film come alive on the screen. Here’s what we cover: 0:00 Introduction 02:17 Logline breakdown 07:07 Hero's Journey analysis 17:14 Theme analysis 23:10 Scene construction techniques 43:10 Genre tropes analysis 49:43 Character Creation techniques And after you’re done watching the episode, we recommend you watch Ek Tha Tiger, now with all the awareness of the techniques, and see how they’re executed to bring entertainment to life. So whether you’re in the heart of Bollywood in Mumbai, refining your craft for your next gig, or making your way here from near and far – we’re sure the Breakdown Besties Podcast will further the course of your screenwriting craft and career. And if there’s any movie or TV episode you’d like us to break down, or you have any questions, – drop them down in the comments. Your besties are here for you! Hit subscribe and we’ll see you next week on another episode of Breakdown Besties! All film clips and stills used belong to the owners. We do not own any copyright of the same. They are only being used transformationally for educational purposes.

    E21: Ek Tha Tiger Screenwriting Breakdown

  8. Jul 16

    E20: Karthik Calling Karthik Screenwriting Breakdown

    Welcome to the screenwriting breakdown and analysis of Bollywood film Karthik Calling Karthik starring Farhan Akhtar and Deepika Padukone. Written by Vijay Lalwani, this film explores our relationship with our own mind and how we can become prisoners and victims of ourselves without even quite realizing it. In this episode of the Breakdown Besties, your film-school level screenwriting class experience, we analyze the techniques used in the script, to make the film come alive on the screen. Here’s what we cover: 0:00 Introduction 03:06 Logline breakdown 09:29 Hero's Journey analysis 23:06 Theme analysis 28:07 Tone analysis 32:28 World-building analysis 33:57 Character Creation techniques 38:34 Genre tropes analysis 45:30 Scene construction techniques 1:00:17 Dialogue dissection 1:02:32 Audience Q&A And after you’re done watching the episode, we recommend you watch Karthik Calling Karthik, now with all the awareness of the techniques, and see how they’re executed to bring entertainment to life. So whether you’re in the heart of Bollywood in Mumbai, refining your craft for your next gig, or making your way here from near and far – we’re sure the Breakdown Besties Podcast will further the course of your screenwriting craft and career. And if there’s any movie or TV episode you’d like us to break down, or you have any questions, – drop them down in the comments. Your besties are here for you! Hit subscribe and we’ll see you next week on another episode of Breakdown Besties! All film clips and stills used belong to the owners. We do not own any copyright of the same. They are only being used transformationally for educational purposes.

    E20: Karthik Calling Karthik Screenwriting Breakdown
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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!

Information

  • Creator
    Breakdown Besties Podcast
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Breakdown Besties Podcast
  • Show Website
    Breakdown Besties Podcast