Hansal Mehta, one of India’s most celebrated filmmakers, recently spoke at the FICCI BAF Awards about the dynamic nature of filmmaking, sharing his deep insights into the craft and evolution of the industry. During his talk, he emphasized the importance of writing and preparation in the filmmaking process. He believes that the development cycle is the most crucial part of filmmaking, and it’s where true storytelling is born.
According to Mehta, “If you spend the most time writing, the development cycle, then there is assurance that what you have made is true to the material. Preparation and development are the key things. Shooting is like a factory; you just have to shoot the material in the best possible way. It’s the preparation and writing that really matter.”
He reflected on his own projects, noting that Scam 1992 took over four and a half years to write before filming began. Similarly, Scoop started its writing process before Scam was even released, even before the lockdown started, taking almost three years to bring to life. He also mentioned how Paatal Lok 2 took five years to develop, but believes the wait was worth it.
“Hasn’t the wait been worth it? We need to find ways of cutting down the gap, but the work we are doing is of high quality. As a storyteller, what makes me happy is that I feel satisfied after finishing post-production, knowing that I’ve done what I intended to do,” Mehta expressed, emphasizing his satisfaction in creating stories that resonate with authenticity.
Mehta also spoke about how storytelling today is no longer limited by budgets, highlighting that the medium has empowered filmmakers to tell meaningful stories economically. His early film Shahid, made on a modest budget of ₹35 lakhs, won multiple national awards, which was a testament to how a smaller budget doesn’t hinder creativity or success.
He went on to say, “I never felt that budget can be a limiting factor in telling stories. Since 2010, when we moved away from celluloid films, the empowerment from the medium has allowed us to tell stories. Shahid taught me that.”
The diversity of audiences is something Mehta also praised, noting that even on platforms like Netflix, shows with varying themes and formats such as Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, Adolescence, and Dabba Cartel all coexist and thrive. This, he believes, shows that there is no one-size-fits-all formula for storytelling. “You can’t narrow down the scope of storytelling. There’s no one formula for everything.”
Mehta's words resonate deeply with the changing dynamics of the entertainment industry, where the craft of filmmaking, whether in feature films or series, is no longer confined to specific constraints but allows for a more expansive and diverse approach to storytelling.