Writers far from what they deserve in cinema: scriptwriter Jyoti Kapoor

Due credit, fair compensation and a wish that their work does not get stolen. Noted screenwriter Jyoti Kapoor says writers in Hindi cinema don’t ask for much but they still get short-changed.

Kapoor, who has written for films like “Badhaai Ho” and “Good Newwz”, said, “Writers are far from what they deserve.”

“A writer essentially wants three basic things when they collaborate with anyone — their due credit, a fair compensation for their work and a silent prayer they make every night before they go to bed that their work never gets stolen.

“There’s more awareness now but the nature of our business is such that no matter how careful you are, you will end up getting short-changed at some point,” Kapoor told PTI in an interview.

Kapoor was speaking on the sidelines of a session hosted by Screenwriters Association (SWA) around the disputes within the screenwriting community.

“A script is the blueprint of the film and the rest is execution. Filmmaking is a highly collaborative medium and everyone has their part to play, but somehow people end up forgetting the most important person, who gave birth to the story to begin with,” Kapoor said.

The legal framework of major production houses also works against writers, she said.

“It’s a collaborative medium and it takes a long time for the end product to be made. You end up pitching your work to many prospective collaborators during that time. It’s difficult to keep a track of things.

“Almost all production houses make you sign a dreaded NDA (non-disclosure agreement) which essentially says that, even in the case they end up making anything remotely or substantially similar to your work, they do not have any accountability. And almost all writers end up signing it.”

Kapoor said that while instances of stealing ideas may have reduced due to increased awareness, issues still persist. Though there are a handful of writers who have managed to gain their footing as creators or showrunners on streaming platforms.

But the nature of the business is highly unpredictable, she said, describing how a show that she developed for over five years was shelved recently.

“I’m just coming out of the demise of a show that I created from scratch, I had spent five long years working on it. I managed to get a wonderful actor and one of the best directors on board and then suddenly, without any explanation, it ended.

“It took me a year to heal from the heartbreak and start writing something new. And the only solace is that I am not the only one going through this. I ran into three senior screenwriters at a gathering recently and we raised a toast to all of our projects that had been shelved (at different stages),” Kapoor said.

The screenwriter also voiced concerns over the changing landscape of Hindi cinema where slice-of-life and middle-of-the-road movies are disappearing.

“I was pitching something to a producer, the kind of mid-budget films, that have performed very well in the past. But I was told straight up that these kinds of films are no longer being considered for theatricals and the only films that are being green lit are the spectacles,” Kapoor said.

“However, I strongly feel that trends will come and go but good, entertaining stories will always have the potential,” she said.

She now plans to step into direction with a short film this year and is also working on a feature film, which is a “high-concept” love story that blends comedy and drama.