Mayur Puri - 'all-rounder' writer
Courtesy:
IndiaFM
Wednesday,
September
27,
2006
Mayur
Puri
has
been
working
as
an
'all-rounder'
writer
in
the
industry
for
the
past
few
years.
He
has
worked
as
story,
screenplay
and
dialogue
writer
on
films.
He
has
also
penned
lyrics
but
only
for
his
close
friend
and
music
director
Pritam.
He
has
worked
as
the
associate
director
of
Dhoom.
He
has
half
a
dozen
scripts
in
the
market
and
soon
he
will
be
directing
his
own
script.
Have
you
had
any
professional
training
in
terms
of
screen-writing?
Not
really.
But
I'm
a
post
graduate
in
English
literature.
In
my
second
year,
'Tragedy'
was
one
of
the
papers...
Gave
me
a
reason
to
go
back
to
Aristotle
and
Shakespeare
in
detail.
Plus
we
needed
to
study
a
lot
of
classics.
Loads
of
Theories.
Coleridge's
'ensemplastic
imagination'
and
Longinus'
sublimity...
I
also
had
Sanskrit
as
1st
sub
and
had
to
study
Mammat's
'Kavyashastra'
in
detail.
Plus
your
regular
Bhasas
and
Bhavbhutis
were
thrown
in
for
a
good
measure.
Coming
from
a
Hindi
speaking
family
Premchand,
Dinkar,
Tagore
were
no
strangers
either.
With
my
graduation,
I
also
did
Diploma
in
Dramatics
and
was
exposed
to
great
playwrights
like
Badal
Sircar
and
Mohan
Rakesh.
I
have
always
been
a
voracious
reader.
I
was
writing
even
when
I
was
in
school
but
strangely
it
never
occurred
to
me
that
I
can
make
it
as
my
profession
till
I
was
in
college!
Do
you
think
any
professional
training
for
screen-writing
is
necessary?
More
than
the
training
it's
the
preparation.
People
write
about
things
that
they
know
nothing
about.
With
all
due
regards
to
all
three
of
them,
none
of
the
writers
of
KANK
are
married
and
that
shows
in
the
script.
The
attitude
towards
your
subject
cannot
be
condescending
from
the
day
one
of
approaching
a
script.
But
that's
what
happens
when
you
aren't
prepared.
Actually
to
hell
with
regards,
Shibani
is
a
trained
writer
-
but
I
don't
think
she's
prepared
enough.
How
did
you
get
your
first
break?
I
came
to
Bombay
(yes
yes
I
know
it's
Mumbai)
in
late
1999
from
Ahmedabad
with
8
years
of
experience
in
writing
and
directing
for
local
theatre
and
television
there.
And
I
had
come
here
to
become
a
filmmaker,
not
a
writer.
But
while
doing
my
first
film
(Tere
Liye)
as
an
assistant,
my
director
Sanjay
Gadhvi
stumbled
upon
the
fact
that
I
was
a
writer.
He
forced
me
to
write
for
him.
I
wrote
a
film
for
him
and
we
took
it
to
Aditya
Chopra
in
Yashraj
Films.
Adi
liked
my
writing
style
and
said
'I
can
see
that
you
are
having
fun
when
you
are
writing
and
that's
most
important'.
Unfortunately
that
film
could
not
be
made
at
that
time
as
it
required
a
huge
cast
and
maybe
Adi
wasn't
confident
that
we
could
handle
such
big
responsibility.
Instead,
he
gave
us
an
idea
for
a
'smaller' film
and
asked
us
to
work
immediately
upon
that.
After
43
days
I
had
the
script
of
'Mere
Yaar
Ki
Shaadi
Hai'
ready.
And
before
you
say
that
'Oh!
That
copy
of
'My
Best
Friend's
Wedding'?...
Puhleeze!
See
both
films
frame
by
frame.
Your
next
film
is
My
Name
is
Anthony
Gonsalves.
Tell
us
about
the
film
My
Name
is
Anthony
Gonsalves
is
about
an
ordinary
boy
nurturing
an
extraordinary
dream
and
his
journey
towards
realizing
it.
It's
a
light-hearted
slice
of
life.
In
many
ways
it's
also
a
bildungsroman
-
a
coming
of
age
movie
-
something
we
rarely
come
across
in
Hindi
cinema.
Was
MNIAG
your
idea
or
you
developed
someone
else's
storyline?
Basic
idea
that
we
should
write
a
film
about
an
ordinary
Bandra
boy
who
wants
to
become
a
film
star
-
was
from
my
co-writer
Lajan
Joseph.
Everything
else
was
developed
through
a
grueling
process
between
the
two
of
us
that
involves
a
lot
of
uncivil
activities
like
abusing
and
tearing
each
other's
hair!
We
go
through
hell
every
time
we
write
together.
We
fight
and
fight
till
we
give
up
on
each
other
but
when
we
have
the
final
script
ready
no
one
in
the
world
can
say
it's
a
bad
script.
Why
the
title
My
Name
is
Anthony
Gonsalves?
Has
it
got
anything
to
do
with
the
superhit
Amitabh
Bachchan
track?
Anthony
Gonsalves
is
the
name
of
the
protagonist
and
it's
a
subjective
film.
Everything
that
happens
in
the
film
is
either
happening
to
him
or
is
done
by
him.
There
couldn't
have
been
a
better
title.
As
far
as
the
famous
song
goes,
it
serves
as
a
reminder
of
that
genre
of
70s
films
that
were
full
of
fun,
action,
drama
and
everything...
You
have
written
MNIAG
with
Lajan
Joseph.
How
is
he
as
a
co-writer?
See,
more
than
a
co-writer,
Liju
is
my
oldest
buddy.
We
have
grown
up
together
and
have
our
own
little
personal
history.
Together
we've
walked
on
the
dusty
roads
of
Kalol
(the
small
town
where
we
both
came
from),
seen
'A'
movies
in
seedy
theaters,
chased
girls,
played
gully
cricket,
cried
and
laughed
so
much
that
tears
have
come
out...
We've
clinched
our
fists
around
the
sand
that
time
is
and
have
seen
it
slowly
slipping
away
from
our
palms...
we've
taken
long
walks
and
fought
over
a
million
crimson
sunsets...
Sometimes
we've
not
been
on
talking
terms
for
years...
but
then
when
we
meet
again
we
pick
up
things
right
where
they
were.
Coming back to your question: Lajan has different strengths than mine. We compliment each other. It's never been important what I can do without him or what he can do without me... it's always what we can do together. We don't count who wrote how many words, who spent more time on the computer typing the shit and who spent more efforts in trying to market a script... It's a very healthy kind of competition where we both strive to give more to the project. If he comes today with a good idea, I can't sleep till I've got a greater idea and vice-versa. Also Lajan always has a kind of top angle on things whereas I get too close for comfort. Our styles are distinctly different but our history, our bank of emotions and our rooting is the same. I have been asked so many times that you and Lajan are so different from each other, then how do you manage to write together? I say, see we are like two angles from the same axis. Its two different shots in magnification, placement and angle but the axis is same... we never jump axis.
Do
you
thinking
writing
in
team
helps
or
writing
alone
is
much
better?
I've
written
in
past
with
some
other
writers
(I
don't
think
Liju
has
ever
gone
through
that
ordeal)
and
I
must
tell
you
it's
horrible!
I
can
write
alone
or
I
can
write
with
Liju
but
I
don't
think
I
will
ever
try
writing
with
anyone
else
again
for
a
long
time.
Technically
speaking,
what
is
the
difference
between
a
story,
screenplay
and
dialogues
when
it
comes
to
screen-writing?
They
are
different
disciplines
but
with
a
common
goal
-
to
inspire
the
filmmaker
and
the
actors
enough
to
carry
the
core
thought
to
the
audience.
As
Bharatmuni
says
in
Natyashastra,
the
Rasanishpatti
has
to
happen
in
the
audience.
Writers,
directors
and
actors
are
but
a
medium
and
nothing
more
than
that.
I
don't
mean
to
derogate
anyone
but
believe
me,
anyone
can
write
a
story.
Anyone
who
has
a
little
knowledge
of
screen
grammar
can
attempt
a
screenplay
but
Dialogue
writing
for
a
Hindi
film
is
not
everyone's
cup
of
tea.
It
requires
very
special
skills.
It
is
the
dialogue
writer
IMHO,
that
will
assist
the
most
in
Rasanishpatti
in
a
Hindi
film.
Prime
example:
'Mere
Paas
Maa
hai!'
But
hey!
When
I
say
anyone
can
write
a
story
or
screenplay
I
don't
mean
that
it
will
be
good.
There
are
always
good
writers
and
bad
writers.
Do
you
agree
with
the
fact
that
script-writers
in
India
don't
get
their
due
credits
as
much
as
in
Hollywood?
Yes
yes
yes!
We
don't.
We
need
to!
In
an
'A'
grade
Hindi
film,
the
budget
of
heroine's
footwear
is
more
than
the
budget
for
scripting.
Isn't
that
pathetic?
Even
the
big
studios
and
production
houses
haggle
with
scriptwriters
for
their
money!
I
mean
come
on
guys!
Aren't
you
ashamed
doing
that?
Doesn't
your
heart
have
a
hand
to
slap
you
every
time
you
do
that?
And
I
refuse
to
put
the
blame
back
on
writers
as
some
of
us
poor
writers
do.
Please
guys!
Even
if
a
scriptwriter
agrees
to
short
sell
his
work
(most
of
the
writers
are
poor
and
they
will,
'cause
any
money
is
better
than
no
money!)
it
is
the
responsibility
of
the
industry
to
make
sure
that
the
writers
are
paid
well.
Only
then
will
the
quality
of
writing
improve.
Only
then
the
quality
of
cinema
will
improve.
Producers
have
shunned
away
from
this
responsibility
for
too
long.
I would like to blame the media as well. Today a two penny actor who is not even good at his work will get more media coverage than a writer who's consistently doing good work. Media has made monsters out of actors. If people need heroes why not intelligent heroes like writers? Why some dumb babe whose worldly knowledge is limited to 'Indian conditions need a sunscreen with SPF 30 and nothing less than that!' Why not Lajan, why not me?
But
wouldn't
you
agree
that
there
is
hardly
any
original
writing
going
in
India?
Writers
just
adapt
from
foreign
DVDs
Yes.
As
much
as
I'd
hate
to
admit
it
but
mediocre
and
below
average
writing
dominates
the
scene
today.
Again
the
issue
is
how
much
importance
does
the
industry
give
to
writing
at
all?
Today
in
a
film
promotion
a
choreographer
gets
more
footage
than
a
writer.
I
mean
cross
your
heart
and
say
who
works
harder
on
a
film?
Who
spends
more
days?
Whose
effort
makes
a
film
more
close
to
what
it
is
ultimately?
A
Choreographer
or
a
writer?
We've
been
diplomatic
and
chilled
out
for
too
long
on
these
issues.
Today
all
songs
look
same.
All
clothes
from
one
production
house
will
look
same
(It's
the
either
the
'Yashraj'
look
or
the
'Sanjay
Gupta'
look)
but
do
you
even
have
the
question
of
originality
in
your
questionnaire
for
Choreographers
and
Designers?
No,
right?
Like
them,
writers
are
catering
to
a
market.
What
pays,
sells
and
to
hell
with
it.
I
have
ten
original
ideas
that
I'm
struggling
to
sell
since
3
years
but
I
get
an
offer
to
'adopt'
a
Hollywood
movie
almost
everyday.
How
long
will
I
hold
out?
Writing
is
the
only
thing
I
know
to
do
well
and
I
have
to
run
a
kitchen.
Coming
back
to
your
film,
how
original
is
MNsIAG?
Any
inspirations?
My
Name
Is
Anthony
Gonsalves
is
100%
original
copy
of....
Ha
ha
ha!
Jus'
kidding.
I
can
sniff
the
sarcasm
in
'any
inspirations?'
But
sorry,
it
is
an
original
film.
Period!
Do
you
think
the
scene
off
lately
is
changing
for
writers
in
India
and
is
getting
a
little
better?
Not
really.
But
it
will
be.
The
wind
of
change
is
blowing.
Still
not
mind
blowing,
but
blowing
none
the
less.
Which
Indian
writers
do
you
admire?
I
assume
you
mean
screenwriter.
Because
literature
will
take
me
on
a
different
trip.
As
Adoor
Gopalakrishnan
says:
90%
of
classic/landmark
films
have
been
written
by
the
film
maker
himself.
I
like
the
films
of
K.Asif,
Guru
Dutt,
Satyajit
Ray
(especially
Gopi
Gayan
Bagha
Bayan),
Raj
Kapoor,
Hrishikesh
Mukherji,
Manmohan
Desai,
Gulzar
saab.
The
only
people
with
outstanding
fame
as
writers
and
not
as
filmmakers
are
Salim-Javed.
Their
contribution
to
Indian
screenwriting
is
immense
but
I
also
feel
that
they
are
responsible
for
a
certain
corruption
that
has
crept
in
the
art
of
screenwriting.
It's
not
their
fault
but
their
writing
and
their
success
definitely
paved
way
for
later
inferior
clones
that
succeeded
too,
to
some
extent
and
the
result
is
a
thousand
clichÉ's
that
we
have
today!
Which
foreign
writers
do
you
admire?
Woody
Allen
has
always
been
a
favorite.
I
like
Tarantino
a
lot
too.
Countless
others!.
I
may
not
even
know
who
wrote
half
the
films
I
like.
Can
you
earn
a
living
out
of
writing?
I've
been
doing
so
and
doing
quite
well
for
myself.
But
you
have
to
be
very
talented
and
very
hardworking.
It's
one
of
the
most
difficult
jobs
in
the
world.
What
advise
do
you
give
a
writer
who
has
a
script
in
hand?
How
should
he
approach
a
producer?
First
thing
is
to
get
the
script
registered
with
The
Film
Writers'
Association.
Producers
normally
like
to
know
what
the
film
is
about
in
brief.
An
interesting
way
to
get
that
across
is
to
write
a
half
page
synopsis
or
a
'DVD
Back
cover'
as
some
producers
call
it.
You
also
write
poetry.
Tell
us
something
about
that.
I
do
write
poetry
but
that's
all
unpublished
as
of
now.
Bollywood
songs
are
not
poetry.
I
will
not
claim
that
I'm
a
poet
or
a
Shayar
for
my
film
songs.
At
best
I'm
a
songster.
It's
a
fun
job.
I
do
it
only
for
friends
like
Pritam.
But
I'm
writing
the
songs
for
My
Name
Is
Anthony
Gonsalves
on
the
insistence
of
Nikhil,
the
film's
hero
and
for
the
first
time
I'm
working
with
Lalit
(of
Jatin-Lalit
fame).
I'm
thoroughly
enjoying
it.
Lalit
is
fun
to
work
with.
Do
you
write
a
particular
script
keeping
an
actor
in
mind
or
an
actor
is
roped
in
depending
on
the
script?
My
Name
Is
Anthony
Gonsalves
is
written
for
Nikhil
Dwivedi.
In
the
past
few
months
lots
of
changes
have
happened
around
the
film
but
the
four
people
who
have
always
been
on
the
project
are
E
Niwas,
Nikhil,
Mayur
and
Lajan.
What
are
your
forthcoming
projects?
I
am
writing
a
film
for
Sri
Ashtavinayak
Cinevision
and
dialogues
for
'Love
Story
2050',
which
is
Harman
Baweja's
launch
film.
With
Lajan
I
have
also
written
two
films
for
Saregama
Films
(HMV),
one
of
which
I
will
be
directing.
Talks
are
also
on
with
Mirchi
movies
(Times
group)
for
some
projects
and
also
with
some
other
very
reputed
production
houses.
Wouldn't
you
want
to
direct
your
own
script?
I've
been
an
assistant
Director
for
too
long.
I
stopped
assisting
after
Dhoom
(I
was
the
Associate
Director
on
it)
to
become
a
director.
I
should
have
released
my
movie
by
now
but
then
things
take
their
own
time
in
Bollywood.
I
don't
have
a
godfather
in
the
industry
and
I
don't
want
to
make
any
compromises
with
my
first
film.
I
don't
care
if
I
debut
late
as
a
director,
as
long
as
I
debut
right.
But
I
think
I've
waited
too
long
and
now
all
the
patience
should
bear
fruit.
Please
pray
for
me.
I
deserve
a
break.
I
have
earned
it.
I
should
get
it.
Soon!