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Snatching Credits, Lack of Pay, Stories Stuck in a Rut: Screenwriters Shed Light on What Ails Bollywood
Prominent writers from different film industries in India come together to talk about everything that is wrong with Bollywood (and it is a lot).
Last weekend, when Abbas Tyrewala stepped out after a panel discussion, an enthusiastic group of people jostled to meet him. They didn't want to ask about Pathaan 2, the much-awaited Shah Rukh Khan actioner he is writing dialogues for or plans for Yash Raj Film's ambitious spy universe. Instead, they were keen to get another query addressed: Why did he write the characters of Sohail Khan and Arbaaz Khan as cowboys in his game-changing 2008 romantic comedy Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na?
They were aspiring screenwriters.
Sincerely inquiring about the art of writing at the 7th edition of the Indian Screenwriters Conference (ISC) held in Bandra, the group was curious to know how to pen good films, at least 10 km away from Andheri, the hub for most studios as well as boutique production houses which are currently scrambling to simply make movies happen.
'The Worst Time For Writers'
"There are two pictures in the current scenario," said Niren Bhatt, the writer of the 2024 historic blockbuster Stree 2.
"One is very bleak; all writers are struggling and this is the worst time for writers in the industry," Bhatt said at the event, which was hosted by the Screenwriters Association of India (SWA).
The chief writing architect of Maddock's horror comedy universe, Bhatt didn't mince words when he called out the industry's obsession with remakes, as almost all of them have tanked, hinting at grave creative bankruptcy as well as the lack of courage to commission original work.
"The other way to look at it is that it is the best time for disruption because the entire system is broken. So, only disruptors will survive and writers are the biggest disruptors. If you see, out of 25 remakes post-pandemic, 23 are flops. The only way to succeed then is to make original content," Bhatt added.
'The Game Has Changed'
Writer-producer Kanika Dhillon, who has penned some of the most talked-about titles in recent times, from Manmarziyaan(2018), Judgementall Hai Kya (2019) to the Haseen Dillruba franchise, said the "grammar" of the Hindi film industry, which has been having mixed-bag post-pandemic years at the box-office, is now changing.
Now, she noted sharply, even a superstar's presence in a film isn't enough to pull the audiences into cinema halls.
"When I came in, it was a star-driven system. The business would dictate what would be made and what not. That understanding has gone for a toss because now even a superstar cannot guarantee footfall in a theatre. Now, the fee structure is breaking. We're in a content-driven business, but we're not making enough films. Nobody knows what's working and the audience is asking for more," Dhillon said as screenwriters in the audience nodded in agreement.
"Originality in this day and age will save you," she added.
'Bollywood's Lack of Conviction'
In the last two months, two high-profile Bollywood remakes bombed at the box office: Varun Dhawan's Baby John and Shahid Kapoor-led Deva. Both, on paper, were 'mass' films but neither offered anything new to the Hindi audience which has been exposed to daring original movies from the south.
Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan, who helmed the revolutionary 2015 indie gem Masaan, called out Bollywood for its reliance on "sanitised" storytelling. This, he noted, was in contrast with the southern film industries, which were firmly rooted in their storytelling—as well as conviction.
"I feel the reason why the southern industries are doing so well is because their lived-in reality is so authentic, and their characters are rooted and real. In Bollywood, the characters are sanitised for a certain audience. It has to go via Bandra. It doesn't feel real. In the process of making film palatable to a certain audience, you might lose what is real," the filmmaker added.
Filmmaker Hemanth M Rao, who helmed the acclaimed Sapta Sagaradaache Ello - Side A & Side B, said there is a "huge disparity" between the south and north industries, with the ability to "pivot" and take decisions being largely easier in the former.
"Down south, I can make films that I want to make. But it doesn't happen like that in Bollywood," he added.
For filmmaker Christo Tomy, who helmed the riveting thriller-drama Ullozhukku (2024), his film wouldn't have been possible if Hindi film producers Ronnie Screwvala, Honey Trehan and Abhishek Chaubey hadn't shown faith in his mid-sized gem.
"I don't think I would have gotten this kind of a budget if I had made it with producers from Kerala. In Kerala, when you're trying to make a project with a female star, things get difficult and I would avoid doing it because, for them, stars only mean male leads. In the other aspects of the industry, though, like directing or writing, many female artists are coming in and the environment is getting better," Tomy added.
Ghaywan, however, rued over the lack of "independent funding" for films—which exists in Europe but not in India—which has made it difficult for indie cinema to thrive and leaving writers the most vulnerable.
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"The challenge is to make what you want with the studios while keeping your integrity intact. Recovery has to come from music or casting a particular actor. You have to battle your way through to achieve your vision," he added.
'A Mistake Was Made'
Even within the world of commercial filmmaking, not all decisions have paid off.
Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani was at his candid best when he dissed his own creative call, as he spoke about directing the 2024 Vedaa, which followed the story of a young Dalit girl who challenges caste discrimination.
"I made a mistake when I made the film on a Dalit girl who wants to pursue boxing, but something happens at her home, as a result of which the upper caste comes after her. I knew no one wanted to watch a story like this, but I still wanted to make the film."
"My mistake was that I made it too entertaining— putting in all that action and masala, thinking people would come to watch the film," Advani said. The film, starring John Abraham and Sharvari, had clashed with Stree 2 and sank at the box-office.
Not even OTT platforms, which many hoped would revolutionise the creative space, has been able to live up to its potential.
Laapataa Ladies filmmaker Kiran Rao added that the streaming space initially arrived in India with a glowing promise of offering viewers rich world-building and complex storytelling. But while there have been notable writing achievements, Rao notes that there has also been, more crucially, a "bubble burst".
"These days, more and more often, you see the kind of content termed as 'working' on streaming in India is usually stuff that isn't vastly different from what we would see in big-screen films. So, the promise of world-building and doing other stuff may not have been fulfilled. That's also because I think there has been a bit of a bubble burst."
"OTT was this golden egg; everyone could do everything that they dreamt of and it had to come full circle. There is a lot of promise there and a lot more stories to be told, but I just don't know how many people are commissioning them and if the economics allows one to do so. Like everything, there was a golden age, but I am unsure where it goes from here. We still have some great writing on OTT in India, but there is a lot more to be done," Rao added.
'Where Is My Credit?'
While the creators grapple with their own lapses and the industry compulsion to reach a wider audience in the hope of better box-office prospects, what remains an intense battle for many is getting due credits.
Lyricist Raj Shekhar, known for penning chartbuster songs in projects like Animal, Mismatched and the recent Shahid Kapoor-starrer Deva, says out of the 100 odd songs he has penned over the years, he hasn't been credited for nearly 30 of them.
"Out of 100 songs, nearly 30 of mine are not credited to me. That's just me, but what about others who can't speak for their due credit?" the lyricist added.
For creators, Dhillon said, no concept exists of owning the IP, which is always with the producers. The only way to get more power is to aim to be more than just a screenwriter. In 2023, the screenwriter-turned-producer launched Kathha Pictures, which backed Kriti Sanon's Netflix thriller Do Patti (2024).
Recalling her screenwriting debut with Manmarziyaan in 2018, Dhillon ensured she was also the "creative producer" on the Anurag Kashyap directorial, which starred Taapsee Pannu, Abhsihek Bachchan and Vicky Kaushal.
"Now talks are on for Haseen Dillruba 3, but if I had not been a creative producer on the film, chances are I would not have found out directly about it... but through other sources," she added.
'What Now?'
Zaman Habib, General Secretary, told THR India that credit is a "must" for any writer, but powerful players, including producers and directors, are increasingly eating into it.
"In the name of cinema being a collaborative art, directors and producers are snatching away the credits of the writers which is a matter of serious concern. The ones who are providing the very base of the film are not treated with respect and dignity."
"The SWA is there for all the writers, but an organisation’s strength lies in the strength of the individuals. Take for example, the Writers Guild of America (WGA). The screenwriters there stood by the organisation. We are ready with our Minimum Basic Contract like the WGA, but we want producers, studios as well as writers to follow that. That will create a healthy working atmosphere for all of us," Habib added.
Incidentally, veteran American screenwriter Chris Keyser, who was the co-chair of the WGA negotiating committee during the historic 2023 WGA strike, was the chief guest at the three-day-long conference.
"I spoke to the Indian writers on how to deal with such an enveloping crisis," Keyser told THR India.
"The key is, we need to believe in the value of our own work. You have to believe in each other and the leadership of your organisation, in the meaning of collective actions to achieve better working conditions, proper compensation and the dignity you deserve."
"Even though it is difficult, there will be pain along the way. But it begins with the belief: in each other, yourself, and as a collective," he concluded.