Bollywood's storytellers wait for success

Everyone has a story to tell and some spend their lives perfecting one in the hope that some day, a Shah Rukh Khan will mouth those lines, they have put their sweat and blood in.

In Mayanagri Mumbai, where the real and reel seamlessly merge, every watchman of an old studio, every other cab driver or even the visiting grandmother has a story that they want to tell on cinema.

In the home of the Film Writers' Association, everyone comes to get their stories told on the big screen. About 100 authors, lyricists and screenplay writers, artists of the written word come here from across the country each week to have their work registered for a small fee.

Registering ensures their right to royalty, if their work ever makes it to the screen.

And this is where we met Sanjay Rathod, a commercial painter from a tiny town in Madhya Pradesh, called Nagda.

Till three years ago, Rathod's writings gathered dust, along with his dreams.

Then on his brother's suggestion, one day he decided why not try and live that dream. With that began his journey.

On his fourth trip to Mumbai, he is registering the lyrics for songs that he has written.

"I write on subjects of social change. My songs are full of pain," said Sanjay Rathod, aspiring writer

But in Bollywood, he has had more doors shut on him than open.

"'Well as far as a success goes, I am just getting started. I hope to reach my goal," he said.

Nilaben Shah, a businesswoman turned scriptwriter from Ahemdabad looks anything but the Bollywood stereotype.

In her recent work, Nilaben has written a story of a couple, who lost their individual spouses, and are brought together by their children.

Nilaben's temporary home in Mumbai is a 10 feet by 3 feet room, where she stays as a paying guest with a bhajan singer and his family.

For the past eight years, she comes to Mumbai every few months to try her luck with various production houses.

"'I had a huge business selling sarees in wholesale. I ran printing presses, embroidery workshops. I had a partner in my business. My dealings went into crores of rupees. I travelled across the country to Delhi, Kolkatta, Chennai and Mumbai. I wound up my business three years ago. I am free to do what I want," said Nilaben Shah.

Free to tell her stories, like Rathod and the other thousands all peddlers of ideas, knocking on Bollywood's doors, in the hope of the ever-elusive break.LaBeouf thanks Jolie's dad for career advice