Sooni Taraporevala

Based in Mumbai

Sooni Taraporevala is an Indian screenwriter, filmmaker, and photographer best known for writing the screenplays for internationally acclaimed films such as Salaam Bombay!, Mississippi Masala, and The Namesake, directed by her long-time collaborator Mira Nair.

Taraporevala attended Harvard University, where she studied English and American literature while also taking courses in film and photography. She later joined the Cinema Studies Department at New York University, earning a Master’s degree in Film Theory and Criticism.

She worked as a screenwriter in Los Angeles on commissioned projects for studios including Universal, HBO, and Disney, after which she moved back to India and continued working on screenplays, directing films, and pursuing photography. Over the years, she developed a long-standing creative partnership with director Mira Nair, collaborating on several landmark films.

Taraporevala’s work has received significant recognition, including the Golden Osella for Best Original Screenplay at the Venice Film Festival for Mississippi Masala. Her directorial debut Little Zizou (2008) won multiple international awards, and she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2014 for her contributions to the arts.

Alongside filmmaking, Taraporevala is an accomplished photographer. Her photographic work documenting the Parsi community was published in the book ‘Parsis, the Zoroastrians of India: a photographic journey’. Her photographs have been exhibited internationally and are part of major collections including the National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi.

Instagram: @soonifilms