Sonam is a great learner: Rakeysh Omprakash
Alot of film-makers complain that there is dearth of good writers around, but few feel that it’s because writers are not given their dues. Film-maker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra however doesn’t believe so. “I think they are very well looked after now. What you are saying was true ten years ago. Slowly, but surely, it’s changing. I think the problem area is not the writing. If you look around, there is a lot of talent and millions of stories to be told. The real issue is screen writing,” says Mehra. He adds, “Writing for films and writing a novella are two different things. So when you are writing for screen, you are writing for a story that will be seen in visuals. You are not writing a story that plays out in your mind space. Traditionally, we have strong writing in terms of novels. But screen writing is at a nascent stage in our country
Sonam is talented. She has to just go out and keep expressing herself. Everyone in life finds their own path. That goes for all of us. RAKEYSH OMPRAKASH MEHRA, FILMMAKER
because it requires a certain discipline. You need to hone your talent in a certain way. So quite often we have been getting away with these flowery dialogues. I think it will change; we will have to give it time and effort. We need more professional courses for writing for movies. But it’s not that there is no talent.”
Sonam Kapoor is the only actor that the senior filmmaker has cast in more than one film. Having worked with Sonam in films such as Delhi 6 (2009) and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), Mehra says she’s certainly one of the most hard-working actors he has collaborated with. Sonam, whose career saw an upward growth post the success of Neerja (2016), has carved a niche for herself. “She is a great learner, honest and most importantly, a very hard working person. She is a good human. Sonam is talented. She has to just go out and keep expressing herself. Everyone in life finds their own path. That goes for all of us,” says Mehra.