Exclusive - Kanika Dhillon on writers getting their due credit: Hope it's course correction rather than a trend

Kanika Dhillon is a successful screenwriter as well as an author. Her latest outing as a writer is Haseen Dillruba which has got people to do the talking and created a huge uproar on social media pages. A fictional novelist Dinesh Pandit, whose works are admired by Taapsee Pannu's character is an ode by Kanika to Hindi pulp fiction writers. In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, the writer decoded the important element in the film - river flowing in front of the house, writers' getting their due credit and more. 

When talking about giving an ode to Hindi pulp fiction writers, Kanika revealed that she read many such books from the genre. She shared, "I did read as I've always mentioned that I read Kaidi 7 Lakh Ki. I think somebody also bought the rights to make that as a film, etc. I did read these Hindi pulp crime books. And that's where Dinesh Pandit is my homage to this fantastic world of Hindi pulp crime that these writers have written. That's the inspiration in terms of wanting to create a world like this in cinema. Inspiration is that story-wise it’s something different and unique to what Haseen Dillruba's story is. I'm very glad that the audience has loved it at this scale, in this form, they're really enjoying this language."

On being quizzed, while writing the film, did you always have a water body in the backdrop of the house which actually was an important part of the climax? Dhillon narrated, "Actually, the water body thing was when my director went for a location recce. He was very excited when he found this beautiful house with a water body behind it. So then, I went back to my script because if you have a location like this, when you're doing the screenplay, as and when the casting keeps happening, the director zeroes in on the location and all, you have to start working with those and figuring out the staging of the scenes and figuring out sequences that can happen with the very key geographical elements."

"In retrospect, it was a beautiful foil to the entire chaos and the emotion that was happening. Not only that but there was also a sense of refuge in that big water body that was showing right next to this house in which so much was happening. So, it kind of really worked very well together," the writer added.

Vinil Mathew, the director of Haseen Dillruba, who was also a part of the conversation further said, "In fact, I'm happy that you noticed the motif of the water because like in the film, there's a lot of things which look very ordinary, placid and normal. Then there, you realize that there is a full underbelly that is exploding. Just like Rishu's character, when you first see him in the film, he is somebody who looked so docile and normal. The whole town is a sleepy town and then you realize that even the water, which is so calm like in the first shot, it's pretty later you realize what goes underneath. So that’s the pure layering of somebody who looks so calm outside, but something is exploding inside, and that paddle also was important. Thus, that river kind of serves that purpose really well as a motive."

On being in an era where the writers are getting their due credit, Kanika went on to say, "Well, I think it's a very welcome step! This is how it should have been, because ultimately as creators, writers should also have the relevant accountability and ownership along with the director. They come together to make a film. It's a great trend and I hope it's not just for the short term. I hope it kind of is a course correction rather than a trend as is in Hollywood and other industries, which have a head start."

She also said, "These guys have kind of understood the importance of content creators and writers. There we see that the amount of nurturing, done by the respective industries be it monetarily, be it in terms of credit, be in terms of ownership, is far better than what we have in our industry, as of now."

Kanika congratulated the new directors and called it long overdue. "So, I'm glad that we are moving in that direction and, in fact, I should congratulate the new directors Vinil included. I've worked with him on Haseen Dillruba and he's been fantastic in terms of being a partner and in terms of leading the team and treating his writer. With a platform, like Netflix has taken this initiative to kind of push the writer out there, the names of the writer are on the posters. It's a big move by some very big players and I'm sure the course correction has already started. It is long overdue and I'm glad we are moving in this direction," shared the writer.

So how fine is Kanika if what she envisioned on paper is not reflected on screen? She said, "I can be very a**l about it, that's why I also author books because when I'm writing something in a novel, I know even the comma is going to be as is what has been decided by me and the editor. For that, I have another writing medium, another creative outlet. When I'm doing screenplays, I do know that this work, which is the script that I've written is going to be interpreted by a director who's going to kind of lead it and then the actors are going to come in, who are going to interpret it in their own way. Then it's going to be a big team effort. So, I am pretty much okay to be a team player and whatever works best for the world, for the director and the actors. My job as a screenwriter is not to be a monitor and say that 'okay, I've written it this way, and this is how it is. My job as a screenwriter first and foremost is to assist my director in making the best version of the script that I have written for him. So that is how I look at it."

Dhillon concluded by stating, "Well, writing a screenplay is a very organic form, it has to be. Otherwise, if you don't leave the room for a director or the actor to perform, it is not going to breathe and not going to come alive. You have to be involved enough to be able to understand the trajectory. If there's a change in the trajectory, for example, the locations will sound amazing and one has to be on their toes to figure out how best one can use this location, and weave it in maybe as a motive, maybe as a layer. So, it's absolutely teamwork. It has to be organic, and it has to be there to support the vision that the director is having for the film, which is entirely different from writing a book. If you're very particular about not wanting to change anything and being very rigid about it, it's better to write a novel. But if you're here to make a film for the visual medium with your director, then it has to be organic."