Represented by Elizabeth Dench and Fiona Grant
Sharmila is a screenwriter, playwright and prose writer: Her work is a transgressive
exploration on love, sex, power and the South Asian experience.
Her short films were commissioned by Film London: Oysters (dir. Pratyusha Gupta) was
short-listed for the Kevin Spacey Foundation and listed as one of ShortsTV Best Short Films
in 2020. Girl Like You (dir. Rajinder Kochar, produced by X-Films) detailed the perils of sexual
adventures for a young South Asian woman in London.
Her plays include The Husbands – set in a dystopian India where a remote community
practices polyandry and matriarchy (Soho, Kali and Pentabus Theatre), and Born
Again/Purnajanam - which explores death, faith, virginity and anarchy (Southwark Playhouse).
Her play Be Better in Bed (Finborough Theatre) is set in a sex workshop and is currently in
development as a TV series with Home Team. She is also writing a book of non-fiction on
South Asian female sensuality.
Shortlisted for the Asian New Writer award, Sharmila’s short stories have been published
widely in print and online. She is currently working on her novel RASA and a non-fiction book.
Sharmila also has a PhD in pharmacology. She practices yoga regularly and finds cooking
sometimes relaxing. She’s passionate about our connection with nature, as well as medicine,
faith and healing. She lives in London with her husband, two children and cat Tashi.
www.sharmilathewriter.com