After spending more than 20 years in journalism and working with some of India’s leading news channels, Neeru Sharma has embarked on a new journey as a writer and filmmaker, bringing her years of industry experience into the world of storytelling.
A graduate of the Direction Program at Subhash Ghai’s Whistling Woods International, Sharma decided to pursue filmmaking after a long career covering the entertainment industry. As a Whistling Woods alumna, she believes her years in journalism helped her understand people, society and the power of narratives, while filmmaking offered a platform to explore those observations through creative expression.
Her debut film, Bandra Boy, marks her first project as both writer and director. The thriller explores how media narratives, public perception and social biases can influence opinions long before facts emerge. Set against the backdrop of celebrity culture and public scrutiny, the film examines the fragile boundary between perception and reality.
The film features Ahvaan Kumar in the lead role, alongside noted Gujarati and Marathi actor Dharmendra Gohil, who plays the father. The cast also includes Whistling Woods alumnus Lochan Barsagde, theatre actor Yash Pednekar, television actor Pawan Tiwari and TV actor Sham Thomre.
According to those associated with the project, Bandra Boy has been submitted to several national and international film festivals in the competition category. The film’s central theme reflects contemporary concerns about how public opinion is increasingly shaped by headlines, assumptions and viral conversations.
