Academy Nicholl Fellowships, 2020 - 

“Flares is a script with incredible cultural perspective that uses character development and relationships very well... There is so much to love about this script including Sunny and her resilience as well as the witty dialogue and fun characters.” 

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“I loved this story... Arranged marriage is commonly used as an over dramatic device, but in this script it is very natural and leads to the great line that many choices in our own lives are not inherently our own.”

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“Flares sports a powerful voice... As the tale unfolds, a sense of smart and heartfelt writing persists. ...the emotional catharsis between Sunny and Starry... is well-executed and decidedly resonant.”

 

WeScreenplay Diverse Voices, 2021 - FINALIST

"Flares is an extremely powerful drama touching on many important issues and featuring quite a few memorable characters and moments. Sunny and Starry are both wonderful, complicated protagonists whose relationship, and the mysterious dissolution of their friendship, drives the story. The script deals with many traumatic issues and heavy subject matter but it never feels melodramatic or exploitative. Every plot twist and reveal is completely justified, and both the main characters feel like real women, whose lives have been shaped by personal trauma but are not defined by it.

 

Depicting a friend group of Indian-American women is still all too rare in American movies, and Flares does a wonderful job of dramatizing, comparing, and contrasting differing experiences and POVs of the immigrant and first generation American experiences. For someone who is not intimately knowledgeable about the cultural, class, and educational nuances described in the story, the characters and story beats are totally relatable, powerful, and universal. For Indian and Indian-American audiences it's sure to be even more resonant and meaningful.

 

The way that the story unfolds is subtle, and the big secret holding Starry and Sunny back from embracing their friendship is divulged suspensefully and beautifully."

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Slamdance, 2020

“Great cultural diversity here, and the character work is compelling. We're rooting for Sunny from start to finish, and the themes at work here are strong.” 

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BlueCat Screenplay Competition, 2020

“In a world of reboots that often give us diversity, but painfully disappoint in story and execution, Flares is authentic, purposeful, and full of potential.” 

 

Fresh Voices, 2020

"Flares is a powerful script that tells an important and timely story in a really beautiful way. You’ve crafted a collection of deeply flawed, endearing women to anchor this story, and each is dynamic with a unique voice."