Indian Screenwriters Sound a Distress Call as New Report Reveals Worsening Pay, Credit Chaos and AI Pressure

Indian screenwriters are sending out an increasingly urgent distress signal, yet again. An industry research report, based on a nationwide survey of writers across films, OTT, television, advertising, documentaries and gaming, has revealed that the structural fault lines still haven’t healed, even as the industry prides itself on championing storytelling.

Conducted by talent agency Tulsea and Ormax Media, the second edition of The Right Draft: 2026—where 254 writers participated in the survey—highlights how Indian screenwriters see pay and credit gaps persisting, even as AI begins reshaping writing workflows.

The money problem is getting worse, not better

Three out of four writers—74 per cent—now say they are not paid fairly, a steep climb from 63 per cent in the previous edition. More than half report delayed payments (up from 40 per cent), and nearly 78 per cent say they are forced to repeatedly chase dues.

Placed against the backdrop of India’s content ecosystem—rising platform investments, pan-India theatrical bets, and the explosion of micro-form storytelling—the numbers point to a paradox. While scale has grown in some sense, the writer’s share of the value chain hasn’t kept pace.

Credit remains a negotiation, not a right

More than half the respondents do not believe they receive fair credit, while 64 per cent say there is no standardised credit protocol across producers and platforms.

THR India had previously reported on how the battle for fair credits remains a priority for several screenwriters, as many had alleged being denied that by directors and producers under the garb of "collaborative art".

The star system is still the main character

In theatrical films, the hierarchy is sharp: only six per cent of writers believe scripts are valued over stars, while 83 per cent say star power dominates decision-making. Even OTT—once positioned as the writer’s medium—shows a perceptible shift. The proportion of writers who feel scripts are prioritised or treated at par has dropped from 76 per cent in 2023 to 62 per cent.

The change coincides with the streaming reset, with tighter budgets, performance-driven commissioning, and a renewed emphasis on attaching popular actors and directors early in development.

The vanishing ladder: mentorship and development

If the current generation of writers feels stuck, the pipeline behind them looks even more fragile. Only 19 per cent said they have access to meaningful mentorship, which is down from 30 per cent in 2023. A staggering 76 per cent say there is no adequate infrastructure to develop their craft, and only 38 per cent feel they have access to effective grievance redressal.

AI: Adopted in practice, weaponised in negotiation

Nearly 41 per cent of writers are already using AI tools "at least sometimes", and almost half say they don’t see the technology itself as a threat. But the economic perception around it is shifting fast. Nearly 68 per cent feel AI reduces the value of human creativity in producers’ eyes, and 50 per cent say producers now expect faster turnarounds because of the assumption that AI is being used.

Tulsea co-founder Chaitanya Hegde calls the findings a shift from “perception to process”. Hegde said the aim with the report was to deepen the industry’s understanding of what writers’ experience on the ground - across pay, credit, feedback, nurturing structures, and now AI.

"The data points to some shifts and some stubborn constants. Our hope is that the report helps move conversations from perception to process, and toward more consistent, fair, and creator-friendly systems," Hegde added.

Describing these as “structural rather than episodic” friction points, Shailesh Kapoor, Founder-CEO of Ormax Media, said, "Writers sit at the core of the storytelling ecosystem, yet too many friction points remain structural rather than episodic. By measuring writer sentiment across key dimensions, The Right Draft is intended to be a practical input into how the industry can build stronger alignment, accountability, and creative ownership."