The promotions for Anubhav Sinha’s upcoming film Assi have taken an unconventional route, shifting focus away from star power and placing the spotlight on writing. Long before the cast and director were officially revealed, the makers released promotional assets that highlighted only the film’s title, release date, and a striking claim that the writer is the highest-paid crew member on the project.
It was only with the trailer launch last week that audiences learned Taapsee Pannu headlines the courtroom drama, with Sinha at the helm. By then, the messaging had already sparked conversations within the industry about the long-standing issue of writers being undervalued compared to actors and other key crew members.
Interestingly, the writer at the centre of the discussion, Gaurav Solanki, was unaware of the claim until recently. Speaking to Hindustan Times ahead of the film’s release, Solanki said he discovered the detail only a few days ago. While he remained guarded about discussing numbers, he described the development as meaningful beyond monetary terms.
Solanki emphasised that writing is the foundation on which a film is built, often developed in isolation long before the rest of the team comes together. He called the recognition a positive sign and said it reflects a growing acknowledgement of the writer’s role in shaping a film’s structure and voice.
Expressing hope for the future, Solanki said he would like this approach to become a trend. According to him, fair recognition and compensation could encourage younger talent to pursue writing, leading to more diverse stories and voices in Indian cinema.
