Born and raised in India, Sushma is a writer/director based in New York City. She writes stories that explore identity, freedom, and the myth of the American Dream. She is an active champion of intersectional feminist storytelling.
Her short film ANITA premiered In Competition at the Venice Film Festival 2020. The film won several awards including The Gotham Award/Focus Features Student Showcase, the National Board of Review Student Grant Award, and the ‘Grand Prix: New Talents’ award at PÖFF Tallinn Nights Shorts Festival.
Sushma’s feature script SALT is a recipient of the San Francisco Film Westridge Grant and was invited to the Torino Film Next Lab as well as India's Film Bazaar.
Sushma was part of the La Fémis International Co-Production Atélier in Paris and Pitch NY in New York City organized by NBCUniversal. Her previous short film FOREN premiered at Palm Springs International ShortFest.
Along with her professional practice, Sushma often mentors screenwriters at the Sundance Co//ab, a digital expression of the Sundance Labs and Festival and is an Adjunct Professor at VCU Arts' Cinema department.
Sushma is currently developing SALT, a feature film about an Indian woman’s quest for the American Dream. She is an alumna of the MFA Program in Screenwriting and Directing at Columbia University.