Indian-origin Australian actor and creator Saksham Sharma has been selected for Screen Producers Australia’s (SPA) Ones To Watch 2026/27 cohort, recognising his growing contribution to Australia’s screen industry.
Sharma is among five creators selected for the flagship professional development and mentoring programme, which brings together emerging screen practitioners from across Australia.
The 2026/27 cohort includes 10 participants across two dedicated pathways for producers and creators, reflecting the increasingly diverse ways Australian screen professionals are developing projects, audiences and production businesses.
The creators selected alongside Sharma are Maggie Looke (Victoria), Sebastian Chan (ACT), Tak Nakano (NSW) and Tresa Ponnor (NSW).
The producer cohort includes Andy Huang, Carlos Manrique Clavijo, Devina McPherson, Michael Long and Rizcel Gagawanan.
Sharma moved to Australia from India as a young child and grew up between Sydney and Melbourne. He has built a career spanning acting, content creation and producing, with his work reaching audiences internationally.
He developed a passion for magic after arriving in Australia without speaking English and later appeared on Australia’s Got Talent. He went on to build a YouTube channel with more than 5.7 million subscribers, with his content recording billions of views.
As an actor and creator, Sharma starred in the short film Writing Time and appeared in Home and Away. He also created and executive produced the original YouTube mystery series Unknown Filter, which was funded by Google and Screen Australia and subsequently gained an international audience.
Sharma also appeared in the Australian-Indian feature film Sahela, produced by Dev Patel and written by Atika Chohan, before securing a major role in the action film Ice Road: Vengeance, alongside Liam Neeson.
Speaking about his ambitions in an earlier interview, Sharma has described his vision as combining Hollywood, Bollywood and Australia to create global stories that connect audiences.
The SPA Ones To Watch programme will run for six months, providing participants with tailored professional development, one-on-one mentoring and opportunities to build industry networks.
Participants will also receive access to curated industry meetings and networking opportunities at SCREEN FOREVER in May 2027, where they can pitch projects to potential buyers and partners.
They are also eligible to apply for the Ones To Watch Screen Placement, supported by Screen Australia, which provides a $20,000 contribution towards an international industry placement.
Since its inception, the Ones To Watch programme has supported more than 180 early-career screen practitioners, with alumni progressing into commissioning roles, establishing production companies, undertaking international placements and producing Australian screen projects.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
