What began as a simple attempt to stay connected during the uncertainty of 2020 has today grown into a thriving creative community. Boman Irani reflects on the journey of Spiral Bound, a platform he founded during the pandemic to mentor aspiring writers.
“During the lockdown, I started mentoring a handful of writer-directors over phone calls. One of them suggested we move to Zoom to save time, and that’s how Spiral Bound really began,” says Irani.
What started with just a few participants has now grown to over 2000 members, with 865 sessions conducted so far, both online and in person. Each session runs for over 90 minutes, and the platform continues to remain completely free and open to anyone with a desire to learn.
“I’ve always believed that talent can come from anywhere. Spiral Bound has no entry barriers. You don’t need credentials, just curiosity and commitment,” he adds.
Irani shares that much of what he teaches comes not only from his own journey but also from his learnings under Alexander Dinelaris Jr.. “The idea is to build writers who can sustain a career and, in doing so, raise the quality of storytelling across the industry.”
To mark this milestone, Spiral Bound will bring together some of the most respected voices in Indian cinema, with Javed Akhtar as Chief Guest, and attendees including Aamir Khan, Rajkumar Hirani, Anupam Kher, Anil Kapoor, Karan Johar, Sooraj Barjatya, Ramesh Sippy among others.
This year’s edition also sees the participation of the Moscow Film Cluster, marking a growing intersection between Indian storytelling and international production ecosystems. With structured rebates, streamlined permissions, and a fully integrated production infrastructure, Moscow is positioning itself as a viable co-production partner for Indian filmmakers. Their presence at Spiral Bound reflects a broader intent to engage directly with emerging and established talent from the Indian film industry.
“India is a market for Moscow Film Cluster and our partnership with Jio Creative Labs is a strategic step in building a long-term presence there.
Spiral Bound is a strong initiative developing emerging screenwriting talent, and we are actively involved in it within this collaboration.
We will continue to develop this partnership and look forward to welcoming the winners in Moscow.” shares George Prokopov, CEO of Moscow Film Cluster.
“For me, this is a lifelong commitment,” Irani says. “If Spiral Bound can help even a few writers find their voice and build meaningful careers, it’s doing exactly what it was meant to do.”