In an exclusive chat with ETimes, Sumit talks about the kind of response he is getting from people in the industry, coming into direction, how he handles writer’s block and much more.
What do you think is the best part you have written for Dahad?
i think i like to write the line that fast forward -Sonakshi is trying to enter the house and the top man stops her and brings her into the house and how does she respond. And she says, ‘Yeh Thaare Pushto ka time nahi hai, yeh Samvidhan ka time hai.’ This has been my favorite part since I wrote it. I really enjoyed how the audience also picked it up and then incorporated it into their daily conversations.
What kind of response are you getting from people in the industry?
I am getting really great responses from everyone I have met. He has said, he has not seen anything like this. It is a different texture. It’s like a slow burn. There’s no mystery about who they’re trying to capture or what will happen in the end. I think everyone really enjoyed that kind of game where the audience knows who this guy is and how to catch him. It has received extremely positive response from the people and the audience.
what is your writing style?
There are two things, as I do dialogues on some projects and sometimes prepare complete scripts. The style of both is different. I did the dialogues for Dahad, or The Family Man season one. When I get a script, the first thing I try to think about in my head is who are these people? I talk to directors, screenwriters. And then I try to write my own about the characters and their world, where they come from, their history, so that I can fully understand the characters. Because each line represents that. It also reflects what our background is, what our traumas are, what our desires are. So when I write the scenes for my characters, I try to know everything about them.
Do you also take creative liberties when adding your own elements to the characters, or do you follow the director’s vision?
yes I do. Filmmaking is a collaborative process. Sometimes you take liberties that will work, sometimes they won’t. And then you discuss with the director and then sometimes you have very good discussions, sometimes the discussions can get really heated. But even a heated debate ultimately takes you to a point. Even after the director and writers agree on something, the matter does not stop here. Sometimes you are involved on the set as well. I often go to the sets. You have to work with them and say, ‘Okay, this is the right area, let’s not go down that path.’ I think it is a never ending process. You always have to be open to new ideas and thoughts.
Do you enjoy the process or does it become stressful at times?
Yes, it gets stressful at times, but then you really enjoy it too. Once you’ve worked on a few projects, you know the end result of these tense conversations or situations. You’re trying to fight that because if you don’t, you just deliver something that’s good and not that good.
Have you ever experienced writer’s block?
I think I go through it every moment, but I don’t let it get the better of me. Because I don’t believe in writers block. I think a break should be taken in between. When I’m writing, I’m writing. Then I motivate myself to write because then I take it as a job. ‘Well, I have to write so much in a day. Even if they are bad, I will just write it.’ And then I probably won’t use them. Maybe I’ll delete them tomorrow. But at least if I write, I will feel that I have written something. This is what I believe. So when I’m in my writing zone, I just write every day. And then I take a break that I own.
Do you write for yourself too?
I enjoy reading lots of Hindi poems. So I write some poems for myself which at some point in my life I would like to eventually make into a book.
Which project did you enjoy working on the most out of Stree, The Family Man, Dahad and ’83?
I tell you honestly, each project has had a different kind of place in my heart. The woman was like the first child. That’s why there is so much love for the woman. There was no pressure on us to do anything. We just wanted to make something cool. And we all had a lot of fun. Then The Family Man. I felt a different kind of happiness as I got a chance to work with a very good actor. Manoj Bajpayee, I always wanted to work with him.
ya ’83 has a special place in my heart because it was the first creation kabir khan, I have been a crazy fan of cricket since childhood. Even before I thought of becoming a writer, I wanted to be a cricketer. Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar And all were my heroes. When I was growing up, that was the only World Cup that India won before 2011. I wanted to be in the cricket team. Then I realized that I am not a good cricketer at all, I am a good writer. So this reality hit me hard that you may not become a cricketer but here is your chance to become a writer. So I became a writer. And then this film came to me. It felt as if nature had written it for me. So I got to tell this story, be a part of this story, sit with these people, talk to them and then get to write the dialogues for their characters. Right after the premiere the whole team came and we went to an after party. It was a wonderful experience for me as a cricket loving kid.
You have also tried your hand in direction. Was this something you always wanted to do or was it unplanned?
I always wanted to direct. Even before the release of ’83, I had made my short films. I have already directed a few commercials. And I had already signed this show for Netflix called Little Things. I was really happy because I think it’s a lovely little show that I really enjoyed directing. And I wanted to direct more. But then I got a lot of writing like ’83 and young, So, I thought, I should postpone my directorial plans for a while. And let me enjoy working with all these great filmmakers and actors. Now once again the plan of direction is back. I will be directing my first film soon. And I think this year we’ll hear about it.
Writers often complain of not getting due credit or pay parity. Have you also faced similar difficulty?
I think we all have. I think every writer in India has gone through that experience. I think we have a long way to go where we will establish a very fair model for writers, both payment and credit. I think the film association is working really hard to come up with a model contract for this. Most of my friends have experienced this. They were not being paid fairly for their work. Things have definitely gotten a lot better over the years. But we still have a long way to go until we reach a place where these questions are not even discussed. It’s time people realized that if writers are paid well, given good credit, then the film will only benefit from it. Because when writers are happy, they write better.
How was your transition from TV to films and web series?
To be honest, it was very difficult. TV writers are usually viewed as if they are not good enough. The quality of television in India has not really been great. That’s why people’s perception is right somewhere. But the thing is, there are a lot of great writers working on television all the time. I have always tried to involve myself in storytelling at all levels. I was constantly working on my films, even when I was working on television. What TV positively taught me was actually a discipline. Because on TV you are writing everyday to deliver every day. This gave me the discipline to write every day and write a lot. The reason I am able to do so much is because of my background in TV. Because of that my speed is very good.