Local doctor Prakshep Bhatt wins Best Screenplay Award at 2024 Chandler International Film Festival

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A Local doctor received an award for his screenplay work.

We caught up with the doctor and asked him how he's able to balance his two time-consuming passions; the medical field and writing.

Doctor Prakshep Bhatt was awarded best screenplay for his project Path to Vindication at the 2024 Chandlers International Film Festival.

He calls it an Action Western of a Civil War veteran's quest to save his wife's soul with a Native American spiritual ambiance.

Dr. Prakshep Bhatt, the local doctor and screenplay writer, says "Nobody changes unless it really hurts them to change, so that's the theme of Path of Vindication. I believe over 100 screenplays were sent in, out of the 100 only 4 were nominated, and we brought the golden lady back to Yuma,".

As a writer and physician, he uniquely compares his two passions.

Dr. Bhatt says "As a physician, I am treating the feelings, the patients tell me how they feel, but in a screenplay, I'm telling them how to feel,".

With an already busy schedule, he shares how he was able to carve out time to work on his screenplay.

Dr. Bhatt adds "Whenever I'd go to work, I would have to get to work at 7 in the morning, and I work in San Luis, and the ride there to San Luis, there's hardly any traffic so I was able to think… and slowly, slowly, slowly I was able to apply bits of these scenes together and compile a story,".

Dr. Bhatt says he received some help from someone who knows a thing or two about screenplays, his close friend, Sam J. Jones, who some may recognize from his role as Flash Gordon in the 1980 sci-fi film.

"Sam Jones has given me a letter of intent to be in the film and he's a wonderful friend. I just want to say that if there is anybody that symbolizes "Americana", it's Sam Jones," says Bhatt.

Jones says he sees a bit of himself in Dr. Bhatt.

"He reminds me of me when I did Flash Gordon, I had this naivete… There's a certain purity when you start out in something that he has. I mean my gosh, his first screenplay really that was introduced to any type of awards, organization, or festival and he won first place for best screenplay which is very rare," Jones says.

He tells us why his writing style works so well.

"Dr.Bhatt writes from a place of purity and simplicity yet is really creative… So he has that gift and he's been acknowledged, he's been awarded for it, and he's moving onwards and upwards," says Jones.

Doctor Bhatt tells us he's currently in the process of turning this screenplay into a motion picture.

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