Drawing on theatre training and independent production, the Mumbai-based artist is developing stories for stage, film and emerging digital formats.
For Shariq Ali Khan, filmmaking did not begin behind a camera.
It grew out of an engagement with performance, language and the discipline of theatre.
Today, he works across writing, directing, acting and independent production in Mumbai, bringing those experiences together in projects that range from psychological short films to screenplays and vertical micro-drama.
Originally from Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Shariq moved to Mumbai in 2016.
His training at the Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts in Delhi provided a foundation in acting and stagecraft.
He later performed in approximately 70 plays at Mumbai’s Prithvi Theatre.
The experience of preparing for live performances helped him understand how actors build characters, respond to one another and sustain a story in front of an audience.
Theatre also gave him an appreciation of collaboration.
A production depends on performers, directors, designers and technicians working towards a shared interpretation.
That understanding continues to inform his approach to filmmaking, where the director’s vision must be translated through the contributions of an entire team.
One of his key film projects is Grahan (The Eclipse), a Hindi-language short film completed in 2025.
Written and directed by Shariq, the film examines the pressures that suspicion and jealousy can place on a relationship.
Agni and Sowmya are a married couple whose lives are unsettled when Purvaja returns and rekindles unresolved emotions.
As Sowmya’s connection with Purvaja deepens, Agni experiences insecurity.
The story explores intimacy, control, trust and the emotional uncertainty that can emerge when relationships change.
The film was made independently and shot using an iPhone.
Its production approach reflects a willingness to work with accessible tools while keeping performance and storytelling at the centre.
Mobile filmmaking still requires considered choices about framing, lighting, sound, continuity and editing.
The device may be compact, but the creative and organisational work behind a completed film remains substantial.
Sowmiyaa Baali served as producer and lead actress, playing Sowmya.
Her contribution brought together performance and production responsibilities.
The supporting cast includes Shariq Ali Khan, Rahul Singh and Purvaja.
The wider crew included Ary, who handled cinematography and shared editing with Somesh; Somesh also worked on sound design and dubbing.
Ary and Shariq created the background score.
Rahul Singh contributed set design, art direction, production design and makeup.
Grahan went on to receive international festival recognition.
It received Award Winner distinctions in the Asian Filmmaker category at The IndieFEST Film Awards and the Accolade Global Film Competition in the United States.
It also received Honourable Mentions at Nassau Film Festival 2026 and Guatemala Film Week 2026, in the International Mobile Film category.
The film was officially selected for Jagran Film Festival 2026 and screened during its Mumbai edition on October 31 at Cinépolis, Fun Republic Mall, Andheri West.
Shariq’s creative work extends beyond this short film.
Lafda Unlimited, developed in 2026, is a vertical micro-drama series designed for mobile-first viewing.
Its format calls for concise storytelling and visual compositions suited to a vertical screen.
The project reflects his interest in adapting narrative ideas to changing viewing habits without losing sight of character and dramatic momentum.
His screenplay Between the Trees, also developed in 2026, moves into coming-of-age storytelling.
Centred on Basheer, a twelve-year-old boy, it explores childhood and the experiences that shape a young person’s understanding of the world.
The project demonstrates another side of his writing interests and his willingness to move between genres and formats.
Across theatre, film and screenwriting, Shariq’s work is connected by an interest in human behaviour and relationships.
Acting offers an understanding of a character from within; writing creates the circumstances in which that character makes choices; directing brings those elements together for an audience.
Moving between these roles can be demanding, but it also allows him to remain involved in different stages of a project’s development.
His journey reflects the realities of sustaining independent work: developing ideas, finding collaborators, preparing materials and presenting completed projects to audiences and festivals.
Each stage calls for persistence, clear communication and openness to learning from people involved in the process.
Shariq’s film and screenplay projects have received more than 400 awards.
His Instagram portfolio, @shhariqali.khan90, documents updates about his projects and festival journey.
His experience is a reminder that creative careers do not always follow a single route.
Theatre can provide a foundation for cinema, independent production can create opportunities to experiment, and screenwriting can open new directions for storytelling.
From Dehradun to Mumbai, Shariq Ali Khan continues to develop work across these forms, building each project through performance, collaboration and a commitment to stories about people.
