Director Akashaditya Lama, known for his upcoming film “Tauba Tera Jalwa,” which features Ameesha Patel in a unique role, recently shared insights into his journey in the entertainment industry.
Lama revealed that he had known Ameesha Patel even before her debut film, “Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai.” During the shooting of “Gadar,” where he served as an assistant director, Patel predicted Lama’s future success as a director. She later recommended him to Tanuja Chandra for a telefilm, marking the beginning of Lama’s career in the industry.
Having worked as a TV writer with over 3,000 episodes to his credit for Indian and Indonesian channels, Lama transitioned into theatre, establishing his own group called Big Bang Theatres. His theatrical debut, “Mohenjo Daro,” was written when he was just 17.
In 2012, Lama directed his first film, “Cigarette Ki Tarah,” followed by contributing additional dialogues to Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan’s “Lahore” and co-writing “Chanda Mama Door Ke” featuring Sushant Singh Rajput.
When questioned about the challenges faced by scriptwriters in the film industry, Lama expressed the thanklessness of the profession. Despite being the foundation of a film, writers often go unnoticed once the movie is released, with actors and directors taking the limelight. Lama acknowledged the disparities in pay between TV and film writers and emphasized that a writer’s remuneration depends on the star power associated with the project.
Lama anticipates that the success of “Gadar 2” will positively impact “Tauba Tera Jalwa,” as Ameesha Patel’s resurgence in the limelight will draw more attention to their film. He confidently asserts that the unique presentation of Patel in his film will make it one of her best works, despite the delay caused by the COVID pandemic.
Addressing past conflicts, Lama shared an incident involving Ashutosh Gowariker and his script for “Mohenjo Daro.” Despite sharing the script with Gowariker in the early 2000s, Lama discovered in 2012 that the director had initiated the film without acknowledgment. Legal action followed, but Lama has since moved on from the dispute.
When asked about “Chanda Mama Door Ke,” Lama refrained from commenting on potential casting changes, emphasizing that the story idea belongs to Sanjay Puran Singh, the director.
In conclusion, Lama’s journey reflects the challenges and dynamics of the entertainment industry, shedding light on the often overlooked role of scriptwriters in the filmmaking process.
