Meet Disha Manocha: Grad student, Aspiring TV Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Disha Manocha and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Disha, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
For me, deciding to pursue writing for television has been a leap of faith. I’ve loved telling stories since I was a child, although most of my earliest stuff was poorly disguised rip-offs of whatever Enid Blyton book I was reading at the time (that explained why a little Indian girl who had yet to venture outside of Mumbai was writing stories featuring blonde-haired, blue-eyed British kids). As I got older, it became clear to me that writing was important to me, but I didn’t know how to channel that love of story yet. I would watch TV, a strong proponent of re-watching my favorites until I had the lines memorized, and I realized something: what I loved most about the experience was getting to come back to the same characters, and the same living room/cafe/office/motel, and feeling like a part of these characters’ ongoing journeys. What I loved was being able to stay a part of these characters’ lives, and they of mine, until I felt like I knew them. Articulating that helped me realize that I wanted to try and create an experience like that myself. Writing for TV was what I had to do. Of course, when I started at my writing program in grad school, I had no idea if I would be any good at it. It was a leap of faith. I have thoroughly enjoyed the ride so far, and foresee many more leaps of faith to come, as I pursue my dream.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I moved halfway across the world, from Mumbai to the US, to pursue my MFA in TV Writing. Moving my whole life to another continent came with its own set of challenges, but what has always made it worth it is my journey and growth as a writer. When I write, I tend to voice stories about people that feel different, that perhaps feel like they stand out too much or don’t belong. My characters gradually find their own community, and carve out a place to call home. My protagonists, who are almost always Indian (long-forgotten are the days of my blonde-haired, blue-eyed heroes), overcome uncertainty and insecurity and anxiety, trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be. Whether I’m writing a crime-comedy caper, or a fantasy-adventure coming of age comedy, or a more grounded historical crime drama (all examples of scripts I have written or am currently writing), the enduring themes in my work always circle back to community, found family, and identity. As I build my own community in this new place, propelled by my dreams, this feels like an apt emotional anchor for my creative work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As someone whose outings are mostly planned around food, I would take people to Chunk n Chip, a tiny ice-cream place in sleepy Orange that has an unbelievable lavender-honey-blueberry scoop, and to The Filling Station, a diner designed entirely like an old-timer gas station. We would also duck in and out of the various little antique stories dotting the Old Towne Circle, and then head to a different beach everyday! I wouldn’t let them leave without a trip to Laguna Beach, where the sunsets are the most breathtaking I’ve ever seen. Close to the beach is another ice-cream shop, where the flavors have names like “Thor” and “Loki.” You can never go wrong with the ocean and plenty of ice-cream! Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I feel lucky to have parents that put their absolute faith in me and rallied behind my decision to throw myself into TV writing for a living! The road ahead might be riddled with challenges, but knowing that I’ve got two cheerleaders right behind me makes me feel that much more prepared! I also must extend a Shoutout to two of my professors in my MFA program at Chapman University: Jill Condon, whom I’ve had the privilege of working alongside for the past year, has always been there with writing advice, general encouragement, and just an all-round confidence boost! Victor Bumbalo has taught me everything I know about character, story, and drama. His belief in me is such a strong motivator, and he’s just always fun to chat with!

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/disha-manocha-977a76176/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disha.manocha/

Other: https://writers.coverfly.com/profile/writer-fbdf6b6df-75591