Adventures of a Writer

The era of Golden Jubilees has long gone. In fact, Gen Z is probably unfamiliar with the term which was once the most coveted standard for a successful movie - 50 weeks of an uninterrupted run at the movie theatres. For Deewaar , that milestone has been done and dusted. On 24 January, 2025, it achieved new heights as it continues to reign our collective consciousness, fifty years after its release. Not a day passes when one or the other of its many memorable lines is transformed into a meme on social media. With every such retelling, it reaffirms the vitality and relevance of the original. In a realm where content is king, this is one "Wall" that refuses to gather moss, crack or crumble. Amitabh Bachchan's dialogue in the film -- " Jo pachchees baras mein nahi hua hai woh ab hoga " (What has never happened in 25 years will happen now) -- resonates today in the context of Deewaar 's domination of the Indian psyche, with an upgrade of an additional 25 years!  ...

  "Nothing can dim the light that shines from within." I was reminded of this quote by Mary Angelou as I watched Kinshuk Surjan's documentary feature film titled "Marching in the Dark" . The film is an evocative tribute to the widows of Marathwada who have survived the suicides of their husbands - the men driven to despair and eventually death after years of failing harvests, rising debts and the cruel play of climate change.  Surjan introduces us to Sanjeevani, an every woman who is not anyone's idea of a hero. If anything she is a victim - of her circumstances, of the unfair deal that she has got in life and of a male-oriented world that she is part of. But she has a quiet strength to her that is evident from the first time we meet her. She is grappling with grief and the burden of raising two small children after the suicide of her husband. She is a breadwinner as well as a homemaker. She works in her brother-in-law's farm who has given her family sh...

I have been writing books and screenplays for a while and it's been a process of learning and re-learning. In this interview with Namrata of Kitaab.org , I share my experiences with regard to writing scripts, pitching and book to screen adaptations.  Team Kitaab: Your career began as a business journalist before you transitioned to fiction writing. How has your background in journalism influenced your approach to writing screenplays and adapting books for the screen? Adite Banerjie: Journalism has shaped my career as a writer – both in non-fiction and fiction. First of all, by working on news stories, specially those with a human interest angle, I got the opportunity to observe first hand various situations and events and how they impact lives. It provided me with invaluable experience of the entire spectrum of issues that shape, impact and change people’s lives. At some subconscious level this stayed with me. So, when I started writing fiction, my journalism experie...