As a fellow artist and admirer of the dynamic world of Bollywood, I find myself deeply moved by the courageous stand taken by Varun Grover, a multitalented gem in our industry. His unwavering voice against writer exploitation resonates profoundly with me, as someone who has also navigated the complexities of this field.
Recently, filmmaker Varun Grover brought attention to the issue of writer exploitation in Bollywood, emphasizing that even esteemed figures like Gulzar and Javed Akhtar are frequently overlooked. He shared an instance involving a comedian friend who was offered only Rs. 50,000 for penning dialogues and a screenplay by a well-known director.
As a lifestyle expert, I recently had a fascinating conversation with my writer friend who collaborated with a well-known filmmaker, renowned for crafting films that fall somewhere between mainstream and art-house cinema. In his three-decade-long journey, this director has amassed a dedicated fanbase who view him as something of a cinematic savior. However, during our chat, my friend pointed out an intriguing aspect of the film industry – despite the director’s esteemed status, he was expected to juggle both dialogue and screenplay responsibilities, shedding light on the often overlooked challenges faced by writers within this field.
Varun Grover revealed that an influential movie director initially proposed paying his comedian buddy only Rs 50,000 for his contribution. Following discussions, the compensation was increased to Rs 3 lakh; however, only half of it has been disbursed thus far. He pointed out that the filmmaker promised the remaining amount upon the film’s premiere, but its success is uncertain. Varun emphasized that, as per Screenwriters’ Association guidelines, a minimum payment of Rs 12 lakh should be given for dialogues alone, and approximately Rs 20 lakh for both dialogues and screenplay. He expressed disapproval towards this alleged exploitation by a renowned filmmaker who frequently releases movies.
Varun Grover emphasized the overlooked contributions of veteran lyricists and writers in the movie industry. He noted that while financial personnel are often credited on film posters, important contributors such as Irshad Kamil and Gulzar are frequently left unnamed. For instance, he mentioned that although Irshad Kamil’s most successful album is “Rockstar,” his name was not acknowledged when the CD was launched. Similarly, if you examine popular YouTube music channels today, you’d find that even songs by Gulzar lack proper credit. This issue persists, and it affects not only artists like Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, and Irshad Kamil, but continues to happen in the present day.
Known for his work in various fields like writing, directing, comedy, and lyric creation – notably in movies such as Masaan, Qala, Merry Christmas, RRR, Gangs of Wasseypur, and the series Sacred Games, and more recently, his directorial debut with All India Rank – Varun Grover is a well-recognized name.
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2024-08-07 12:54