Former journalist and award-winning television scriptwriter Gajra Kottary discusses how she coped with writing her debut novel, Broken Melodies, scripting for the popular soap Balika Vadhu and being a mom.
'Listen to the voice in your head and keep your inner sanctum safe.'
Gajra Kottary, one of India's most successful television scriptwriters shares her success mantras and tips on how one can become a successful scriptwriter.
'Thirty years ago, if you walked into a chawl, there would be three TV sets in 30 houses. Today, you'll see TV sets in all 30 houses. So the viewers have increased, but of a certain strata. Sadly, the educated and upper classes have stopped watching TV shows because of the availability of the Internet.' Balika Vadhu writer Gajra Kottary tries to explain to Ronjita Kulkarni/ Rediff.com where Indian television is going wrong.
'So they are extracting a price from me for letting me marry their son, is it? Manas, I cannot believe that you subscribe to this view of theirs. This is our child growing in me. It is part of me - girl or boy. Can I just throw it away if it is not a boy?'
'We felt why not have the hope that is intrinsic in every child's life, embodied in our happy protagonist and let viewers see the world full of double standards and confused adults around her through her innocent and questioning eyes?'
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