Director Dev Benegal of "English August" and "Split Wide Open" was recently invited to be a script advisor at the famous eQuinoxe script workshop. No one before him from Indian cinema has been selected for the honor.

Explaining the nature of the workshop Dev says: "The eQuinoxe script workshops are similar in spirit to Robert Redford's Sundance workshops. It's a merit-based workshop, which selects films worldwide.

"It has been famous for attracting some of the top talent from across the world. In the last 12 years over 8,000 scripts have been submitted of which 230 have been selected and invited and 65 films made. Among its founders are Sydney Pollack and Frank Pierson Chairman of the Academy of Motion Pictures."

The advisors along with Benegal were several legends of Hollywood. These included:

James V. Hart who wrote director Francis Copolla's "Dracula".

Marcia Nasatir, first female vice president of United Artists. Her slate of films includes "Rocky", and "One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest".

Eric Pleskow, president and CEO of United Artists and founder of Orion Pictures, who was responsible for "Raging Bull" and "Hannah And Her Sisters".

Lorenzo Semple Jr., the screenwriter who wrote "Never Say Never Again" and "Batman".

Martin Sherman, the American playwright and screenwriter known for "Bent" and "The Roman Spring Of Mrs. Stone.

How does Dev feel being in this august company?

"It was an honor to be a part of this group which has been responsible for some of the memorable films in our lifetime..."

Commenting upon his future plans, he says: "I'm back, my batteries recharged. Will be starting a movie very soon."