Most novels begin as an idea on paper. Some start with a character, while others begin with a memory or a conversation. For Indian author Nishant Kaushik, Bhadresh Mhatre’s Slam Book had a very different beginning. Long before readers picked it up as a novel, the story was written as a screenplay for a short film.
What makes the story even more interesting is that it has now come full circle. After becoming a published novel, Bhadresh Mhatre’s Slam Book is now making its way back to the screen, with its film rights acquired by a leading Indian production house.
Before There Was a Book, There Was a Screenplay
In 2019, Nishant Kaushik wrote the first version of Bhadresh Mhatre’s Slam Book as a screenplay for a short film competition. The story already had its heart in place—a middle-aged widower finds an old school slam book and begins searching for the friends he lost touch with many years ago.
Although the screenplay could not be entered because it did not meet the competition’s word-count rules, Kaushik did not leave the idea behind. He believed the story still had more to say and decided to keep working on it instead of setting it aside.
That decision changed the future of the project.
The Moment the Story Changed Direction
During the Covid years, Kaushik returned to the screenplay and began shaping it into a novel. The longer format gave him more room to build the lives of his characters and bring greater depth to their relationships.
The search for old classmates became much more than a search through memories. It also became a story about a father rebuilding his bond with his son, about finding hope after loss, and about giving old friendships another chance.
Published in 2022, Bhadresh Mhatre’s Slam Book connected with readers through its simple idea and emotional storytelling. The novel showed that some stories become stronger when they are given more space to grow.
How the Book Is Making Its Return to the Screen
One of the most interesting parts of this story is that it is returning to the format where it first began.
In 2024, the screen rights for Bhadresh Mhatre’s Slam Book were acquired by a leading Indian production house. While the studio’s name has not yet been made public, the project marked an important step for the novel.
Kaushik is now working on adapting the book into a feature film screenplay. Years after writing the first script, he has returned to the same story with the experience he gained from writing the novel. The characters, emotions, and relationships that grew on the page will now help shape the screenplay for the film adaptation.
What Makes This Creative Path So Unusual
Very few stories travel from screenplay to novel and then back to film. Bhadresh Mhatre’s Slam Book has taken that rare path, making its creative history as memorable as the story itself.
For Nishant Kaushik, changing the story from script to novel gave him the chance to deepen its emotional impact. Now, as the story moves toward the big screen, it enters another chapter while keeping the same heart that inspired it in the first place.
What started as a screenplay written for a short film competition has grown into a published novel with a future in cinema. It is a reminder that a good story can find its place in more than one form, reaching readers first and, soon, movie audiences as well.
