I like collaborative writing: Meghna Gulzar

Goa : Filmmaker Meghna Gulzar, screenwriters Juhi Chaturvedi, Pooja Ladha Surti, Cinematographer, Modhura Palit and columnist Sumedha Verma Ojha spoke on Nuances and Process of Filmmaking at the In-conversation session in the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Goa, today.

The session was moderated by Indian film journalist and critic Madhureeta Mukherjee.

Writer Juhi Chaturvedi, who has written for films like Vicky Donor, Piku and October among others said, “For me the draft of the film has to be mine, it can’t be someone else’s. I work with Shoojit Sircar but he doesn’t know what I am going to write though he always has an idea about what I am writing. Though it is important to listen to someone’s opinion but the world around the characters should come from within me.”

Known for making blockbuster thrillers like Talvar and Raazi, Filmmaker-writer Meghna Gulzar shared, “I go through the cycle of detachment and attachment. Filmmaking is an extremely fulfilling process but when the film comes to the edit table, I look at the footage very objectively. I totally assess things at the edit but again sound and music get me attached.”

“I love collaborative writing since I am a very lazy writer. The verbal jamming with my co-writers is fun. More than a conflict, it would be a different point of view if ever I have creative differences at the script level,” she added.

The highlights of this year’s festival is the tremendous change in the last 50 editions from participation of 23 countries in 1952, to almost 76 countries in 2019.

The 50th International Film Festival of India, 2019 is screening 26 feature films and 15 non feature films in Indian panorama section, around 10,000 people and film lovers are expected to attend and participate in the golden jubilee celebrations.