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EXCLUSIVE: Anurag Kashyap, Hansal Mehta can bring a change: Navjot Gulati on Kanika Dhillon & Credit Casteism
Writer Director, Navjot Gulati informs that his tweet was misconstrued by Kanika Dhillon and explains that his real fight is with the OTT players who don't give credit to the creators of content. Read Interview
Key Highlight
Recently, writer-director, Navjot Gulati tweeted about the credit system of Netflix. “If you want top billing as a Screenwriter in a trailer(something that should be the norm)You need to marry into the production house. Once the Writer becomes a family member, is treated like an Actor-Star. #Goals,” he had tweeted. In a response to this, Kanika Dhillon responded on the social media saying, “Hi @Navjotalive I am quite shocked by ur extremely SEXIST - MYSOGINIST and bordering on IDIOTIC comment Neither will I list down my body of work cos ur pea sized brain will not be able to process a successful woman making it on her own! U may hav a brain freeze! Have a good day.”
Ever since then, there has been a war of words between Kanika and Navjot. Pinkvilla reached out to Navjot, who informed that his tweet was misconstrued and he was trying to point out a larger issue. “I have been outraging in my personal capacity for a very long time. If you see the #CreditDeDoNetflix, most of the tweets are by me and the people around. I made that quip keeping the credit factor in mind and also the context of reality. I am not talking about gender, nor am I trying to discredit anyone. I was just making a generalised statement about how much a writer needs to do in order to get the credit that they deserve,” Navjot sets the record straight.
I made that quip keeping the credit factor in mind and also the context of reality. I am not talking about gender, nor am I trying to discredit anyone. I was just making a generalised statement
Navjot Gulati
He further adds, “It was a quip. If someone takes it personally and turns it around to something which suits their narrative, then I am happy to help them. I hope this eventually reaches a point where people start to talk about the real issue that all OTT platforms need to have a uniform credit plate for cast and crew on their promotional material. It’s a stupid policy and nobody seems to be having an answer as to why it exists. I am not asking for a share of profit, I am just asking them to give writers and other crew members their credit.”
Navjot believes that the idea of crediting individuals for their work is beyond gender. “My tweets are not able male or female. I can give you 10 examples of men, who have married into a film family or married the sister of a superstar and that resulted in them getting a chance to showcase their talent. It works for both men and women. For this particular writer (Kanika Dhillon), I have been a fan of her writing in Manmarziyaan. Why will I write her down? I was just making a factual observation based on why and how she has got top billing when the same set of people refuse to do the basics. I was just saying, let’s end the casteism in credit. If because of this incident, every writer gets the credit, I will be more than happy and will even apologise to her. Also in hindsight, I should have chosen different words to not offend the woke people of twitter,” he avers.
I was just saying, let’s end the casteism in credit. If because of this incident, every writer gets the credit, I will be more than happy and will even apologise to her
Navjot Gulati
The writer director, known for Ginny Weds Sunny and Jai Mummy Di, insists that he is also a firm believer of gender equality and even agrees to all the points raised by Kanika Dhillon in her defence. “But this incident is not what it is turned into,” he smiles, adding further that Netflix started giving credit to the cast and crew in the YouTube description post the release of Ginny Weds Sunny. “I know for a fact that top bosses in Netflix dislike me. But I won’t curtail my voice just because people feel I am problematic. It has been 13 years in the industry and I know that the number of people who dislike me are more than the number of people who like me. I was just making a list and there are six producers who like me and 40 who dislike me. But these six are enough for me to work.”
Navjot hopes that people with a voice in the industry take up the issue of OTT players not giving the creators of the show due credit. “I hope celebrities like Anurag Kashyap, Anubhav Sinha, Sudhir Mishra, Hansal Mehta and all other people with a voice make it a point to speak against these policies. At-least, they can make sure that the names of cast and crew, including the writer, is put in the trailer. I believe, these people have the power to bring a change,” he sighs.
It has been 13 years in the industry and I know that the number of people who dislike me are more than the number of people who like me.
Navjot Gulati
On the work front, Navjot is gearing up for his debut with TVF on a yet untitled show that he has written and will be directing too. He has completed 3 scripts in the lockdown and is in the process of getting it greenlit from the producers. He is hoping to start the digital venture for TVF by the end of this year. He is also a part of the soon to premiere, Grahan’s writing team.
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