Advaita Kala, the literary brain behind Anu Menon’s recently released ‘Neeyat’. She became a best-selling author with her debut novel ‘Almost Single’. She then turned scriptwriter with Ranbir Kapoor-Priyanka Chopra starrer Anjaana Anjaani. Her latest film, ‘Neeyat’, starring Vidya Balan released recently. ‘Neeyat’ presented a murder mystery set in a windswept castle in Scotland.
Talking about her experience with writing for Neeyat, Advaita said, “I have been in the industry for a while, and the dynamics have changed. Since Kahaani, the industry has changed. OTT platforms have established their audience. Now, there is so much space for female-centric stories. Back then, it was a challenge to get Kahaani made as we not only had a female protagonist, but she was also pregnant. Now, it’s great to see so many stories driven by female protagonists.” The screenwriter also mentioned the high points of writing this script. According to her, the high point is always to get to a point where you can see a narrative that makes sense.
Advaita also shared how Vidya Balan reacted after hearing Neeyat’s script. The screenwriter laughed and said, “She must like it because she is on board. Vidya is one of the best actors we have in the industry. She is a great actress and brings delicacy to her performances. As a writer, you want to work with actors who elevate the writing, since movies are a collaborative process. She is an intelligent actress. I have been fortunate in the actors who have essayed the characters I have written- be it Priyanka [Chopra], Vidya [Balan], or Ranbir [Kapoor].”
Further, Advaita shared that she enjoyed writing Anjaana Anjaani the most. “Siddharth Anand, the director of Pathaan, is a good friend. I learned a lot from him, and it was my first film. He asked if I would want to write a script with him, that’s how the journey began.” She continued, “I’m very happy that Vidya is returning to the big screen after 4 years with ‘Neeyat.’
Talking about the growth of OTT platforms creating new work opportunities for screenwriters, Advaita said, “It’s fantastic, first of all, you get to work in the writing team, so you get to collaborate with other writers. You get a fresh perspective, new energy, a different sensibility, and a different viewpoint. Otherwise, writing is a very lonely job to do.” She added that the whole understanding of cinema is changed because of OTT. The public is far more exposed to content from abroad, from India, and from different regional languages.
At last, the screenwriter also shared her experience working with actors on set. According to her, it can be very boring for a writer to be on a set as they have nothing to do except sit and watch.