Kommune and Netflix India launched the fifth edition of Voices of Tomorrow to train writers in subtitling and adaptation. Thirty participants will join a three-month programme in Mumbai from November 2026 to January 2027. Roshan Abbas said, “Subtitlers and adapters do far more than translate words; they carry humour, emotion.”
Kommune and Netflix India have announced the fifth edition of Voices of Tomorrow, a professional training programme focused on developing emerging talent in subtitling and adaptation. The latest edition will train writers to adapt Indian films and series from Hindi into English for audiences across the world.
Following four editions that focused on expanding access to professional voice performance, the initiative will now explore the writing involved in subtitles and dubbed dialogue. The programme aims to create opportunities for writers interested in localisation, where understanding language also requires an understanding of storytelling, dialogue and cultural context.
With Indian films and series reaching audiences in different parts of the world, the programme will focus on helping writers create English adaptations that retain the emotion and intent of the original material. A total of 30 participants will be selected for a three-month training programme in Mumbai, scheduled across November 2026, December 2026 and January 2027.
The curriculum will include screenwriting fundamentals, dubbing adaptation and subtitling. Participants will undergo structured training, complete assignments and gain exposure to professional studio workflows.
Speaking about the new edition, Roshan Abbas, Founder of Kommune, said, “Voices of Tomorrow has always been about widening access to the people and skills that shape how stories are experienced. This edition takes that work into the writing room. Subtitlers and adapters do far more than translate words; they carry humour, emotion, rhythm and cultural context from one audience to another. We want to give promising writers the craft, confidence and industry exposure to do that work at a professional level.”
Ashwini Kulkarni, Senior Manager, India, Content Localization at Netflix, added, “As Indian stories find audiences around the world, thoughtful localisation helps ensure that their meaning, emotion and character remain intact. Through Voices of Tomorrow, we hope to support writers who understand both language and storytelling, and equip them with the practical skills needed to create adaptations and subtitles that feel authentic to audiences.”
The training will be conducted by writer, actor and director Dhruv Sehgal, translator, actor and voiceover artist Sahil Vaid, and subtitler and creative writer Yooti Bhansali. The mentors will cover screenwriting, adaptation and subtitling while also introducing participants to professional localisation workflows.
Actor and voiceover artist Shernaz Patel, Roshan Abbas, and subtitler and translator Meera Krishnan will form the jury for the programme. They will help identify applicants with an aptitude for language, dialogue, storytelling and cultural adaptation.
Who Can Apply
Voices of Tomorrow is open to Indian citizens aged 18 and above who are fluent in Hindi and English, have an interest in writing for localisation and can attend the training programme in Mumbai.
Applicants will need to complete the online application form and submit the required details, including a copy of a government-issued identity document. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an in-person writing test, after which 30 participants will be selected.
Applications are currently open, and interested candidates can apply through the official application form.
Since its launch in 2022, Voices of Tomorrow has been developed by Kommune in collaboration with Netflix India as a professional training initiative aimed at broadening access to India's dubbing and localisation industries. Its previous four editions have trained more than 60 participants from communities and age groups that have traditionally had limited access to conventional talent pipelines.
With its fifth edition, the initiative is extending its focus to localisation writing and aims to prepare a new group of subtitlers and adapters to work on Indian stories for global audiences.