‘Laapataa Ladies’ writer Sneha Desai talks to mid-day.com about credit, remuneration and the role of SWA in protecting writers of the fraternity
Sneha Desai
Kiran Rao’s second directorial ’Laapataa Ladies' was released in theatres in March this year and is among the defining films of the year. While the film might not have given the numbers at the box office that will label it a blockbuster, the film sure has won hearts and continues to reach people across the country and outside through its recent Netflix release. The narrative, intent, and characters are the strong points of the film that have made a mark in the hearts of the audience.
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Writer Sneha Desai who is credited for the screenplay and dialogues of the film is more than elated with the response to the film. While the role of credit often comes up for artists who operate behind the camera, Desai has had a largely positive experience. She says that she has had a great experience in the past and with 'Laapataa Ladies', it has only further cemented that belief. “I also feel that as writers, we need to ask ourselves, 'are we also making enough?' Most of the films that we see don't induce a single wow moment at times. There are no well-crafted hooks or scenes that the audience takes back and has time to reflect on or remembers for a very long time. So, if we are not crafting good stuff, it is not fair to expect the audience to remember us. Write such great stuff that people are compelled to ask 'who wrote this?'"
“Pay not bad”
Another recurring topic of discussion when it comes to writers is the remuneration. Time and again, it has been debated and discussed that the remuneration offered to writers is not on par with the work expected. Sneha who has worked on TV shows like 'Wagle Ki Duniya', 'RK Lakshman Ki Duniya' and now 'Laapataa Ladies' feels that the pay is not all that bad but what hampers writing quality is the 'project mentality'.
So what is it? She explains, "I think it is the project mentality which has affected the writing and the quality of the writing. I feel that now it's become an assembly line. Some financer bumps in money. Some producer has dates. Some talent company has pitched an actor for a certain amount of time and they feel that something is working in the market and they bring it in as flavour of the month."
"So, what happens is that the story is not organically there. The story is customized to suit everything that is made available. Most of them generally just cater to the one line that is given to them. Humko ek action film banake do, humko ye actor chahiye, and ye 1600 screens par release hogi and provide the base level quality for a particular OTT platform," she added that such demands affect quality of writing.
Role of Screen Writers Association:
Sneha Desai, like many other writers working in India, is part of the Screenwriters Association (SWA) that protects their rights and also provide them with a platform to collaborate and ideate with other writers. "Everything that I write, I make sure that I register with them. SWA protects my copyrights, it helps me fight anybody who's contesting my content. No produce worth his salt allows you to send scripts that are not registered. Because then they are also protecting themselves from any kind of copyright infringement.
"SWA becomes a great starting point. I am just one film old and yet they want to promote me and want the novices to learn from me, they want the younger writers to know what my experience was, what scared me, and what propelled me," she added.
SWA was founded with the purpose of championing the rights and interests of screenwriters and the organization continues to be at the forefront of industry reform. With over 65,000 members across India, including writers like Sriram Raghavan, Sujoy Ghosh, and Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, SWA is committed to advocating for fair contracts, equitable treatment, and the creative autonomy of writers.
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