In India, screenwriters not valued: Neeraj Ghaywan

Emerging director Neeraj Ghaywan, whose award-winning screenplay "Fly Away Solo" will soon be turned into a motion picture, says in India screenwriters are not given the kind of importance that they deserve.

"I always give a lot of value to screenwriters. In india, we don't value screenwriters much. Even at award functions, the category is not considered as a part of popular or main awards. It comes under technical awards, but it should be the biggest award. It is the main one," Ghaywan told IANS.

He was recently handed over the 2014 Sundance Institute/Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award for his screenplay "Fly Away Solo". Phantom films, co-owned by filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, has taken on the production work of the "Fly Away Solo" movie, to be directed by Ghaywan.

"The title will be in Hindi. I am yet to finalise it. It will hopefully go on floors this year," said the 33-year-old, who was part of the corporate world before stepping into the filmdom.

Ghaywan, who has worked with Kashyap quite a few times in the past as an assistant director on "Gangs Of Wasseypur" and second unit director on the latter's forthcoming film "Ugly", says that both share a "strange relationship".

"I quit my corporate life and started assisting him on 'Gangs Of Wasseypur'. Anurag is a nice person and there is no hierarchy in his office. Anyone can walk up to him and give suggestions. He is very encouraging too. He helped me to make a short film titled 'Shor' in 2012," said Ghaywan.

"Fly Away Solo" is based on four lives - a lower caste boy hopelessly in love, a daughter torn with guilt, a father sinking in greed, and a spirited kid craving for a family.

The movie focuses on how their lives intersect along the Ganga river and all of them yearn to escape the constrictions of a small town.

Actors Rajkummar Rao and Richa Chadda have been approached for lead roles.