THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Scriptwriters in Malayalam film industry are not being given due importance at Kerala State film award distribution functions, says noted scriptwriter Sanjay of Bobby-Sanjay duo, who bagged last year’s best scriptwriter award.
“A scriptwriter is the person who creates the basic structure of each movie. The scriptwriter also will be the first person to have an idea of what the movie will look like since he develops the rudiments of the film in his mind through his draft. But when it comes to film award functions, the scriptwriters get relegated,” Sanjay said in an exclusive interview with ‘Express’. He said that the scriptwriters shouldn’t be relegated behind other groups at these functions, which is organised by the State Government. He said that if one checks the hierarchy in the film industry, it can be found that scriptwriters have third position after the film and its director. However at film award distribution functions, the scriptwriters are being placed even after actors and certain technicians, he said.
“This approach is found in the matter of prize money also. When the cash prize given to the best actor is Rs 75,000, the best scriptwriter gets only Rs 40,000. I am not pointing at the issue of the amount, but at the lower prize money being given to best scriptwriter compared to best actor’’ he added.
“The attitude of the film award function organisers of clamouring after celebrities without checking the importance of their roles, should be changed. Though everyone says a ‘good script’ is the ‘real star’ of a good film, the brain behind that ‘real star’ is not getting due recognition,’’ he says. He said though he had approached the Cinema Minister with the demand to adopt remedial measures no steps have yet been taken to rectify the discrepancy.