‘The Family Man’ writer Suman Kumar bats for more recognition of writers: Afterall they’re architects of stories
Suman shared that as a scriptwriter, he takes immense pride in the craft of writing. It’s often seen as a behind-the-scenes job, but writing is just as tough, if not tougher, than directing.
Mumbai: Suman Kumar, who is known for penning the scripts of hit shows like ‘The Family Man’ and ‘Guns & Gulaabs’, has shared that while the medium of OTT has brought increased awareness for the writers, there still is a long way to go.
Suman shared that as a scriptwriter, he takes immense pride in the craft of writing. It’s often seen as a behind-the-scenes job, but writing is just as tough, if not tougher, than directing.
He told IANS, “It’s where the story begins. Writers deserve more recognition for the effort they pour into shaping a narrative, and I believe their names should be on movie posters alongside the directors and actors. They are, after all, the architects of the story”.
Writers in cinema have always faced the challenge of being recognised for their work despite the remuneration being less. Industry has many ghost writers, a position that is not shared by other departments like production, cinematography and of course acting.
Even the likes of legendary screenwriters Salim-Javed had to fight for their due credit when their names were not printed on the posters of ‘Zanjeer’. They later countered this problem by hiring a drunken painter to put up their names using the stencil across all posters in Mumbai.
As a writer, Suman has had first hand experience of how often writers are overlooked despite being the backbone of any project.
He said, “We spend months crafting stories, yet recognition rarely extends beyond the credits. That’s why I voice my opinion, writers deserve to be visible, starting with having their names on posters. While the Internet has given us a platform to advocate, the industry hasn’t fully caught up in valuing us publicly. Audiences are more curious about the creators behind their favourite shows, but the perception of a writer’s role still needs to evolve, and there’s work left to do”.
