Yes, you heard it right!! SRK plays a super-hero in Karan Johar’s most awaited film “My Name is Khan”. This was revealed to BIGOYE by Shibani Bathija, the hugely talented script and screenplay writer of MNIK. Shibani Bathija started her career with Fanaa starring Aamir Khan and Kajol, which was a blockbuster at the box office. She also co- wrote the screenplay for Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, which was a runaway hit both in India and overseas. She is back working with Karan Johar as they try to create magic once again with My Name is Khan, the film that is on everyone’s minds ever since it was announced.

You father was a producer, but you went to do your Masters in San Francisco University, and you were briefly associated with Sony TV. When and how did the scriptwriting fever hit you?
“It happened at Sony when I was reviewing scripts fo

r their shows; part of my job was reading and evaluating the submitted scripts. I was being quite harsh on the writers who were under constant pressure to deliver for a long running serial. In television, writers have to churn out a lot in a short period of time. So, I thought rather than being a frustrated reviewer, I should just start writing myself. That’s really where I started it.”

Earlier you were with TV? Do you think there is more pressure on the writers there versus a writer of films? A film needs a tight script of 2-3 hours, but a television shows has to go on and on?
“Definitely, there is no break for a television writer. For a movie writer, you write a script and then can take a shor t break. But a TV writer has to constantly keep churning out plots after plot. It needs a different mindset to succeed there; which I never had. The medium is very different' the canvas is different. For example, big action sequences are not possible on TV. Challenges are very different, TV relies more on dialogue rather than actions.”

Earlier, there was an aura of stars not being "available" to the common people. Now, most of the superstars come regularly on TV. Salman’s show is quite a popular one. Do you think there is an overkill of superstars on TV?
“I do not think so. Dus ka Dum is hugely popular and Wanted did very well at the box office. In a reality show, the actor plays himself whereas in films, they have to play a character. So, the difference is very obvious; people like to see the actors playing themselves which is why Salman's show is so popular. His personality is the character of the show and he has a great connect with the audience. And Wanted was also liked immensely, so I think people would like to see both of them.

Bollywood is going through a transition from formula-based movies to more offbeat cinema? Wake Up Sid was without any superstars, the lead actor is 27 years old, the director just 25 years. Do you think we are going away from these star-driven formula masala movies?
“Yes, and a lot of credit has to go the multiplexes for this. There is a segment among the audience which I would like to term as "urbanized audience"; they are contributing to the box office returns in such a way that they can determine the fate of a movie. Earlier, it was just the single-screen audience. Now, you can demarcate the audience into various categories including an "urbanized" audience. A small interesting film can be made for its target audience only; it need not be for the entire universe. And Wanted and Ghajini are catered to a broader base.

It is not that 20 years ago, people did not have the story of a Wake Up Sid, it is just the box office performance that was uncertain. It is a great time to be part of this opportunity to push the envelope a bit; not necessarily making it alien but making it interesting and different. When Anurag made Dev D, he had a vision that it would cater to a definite section; and he was right. But of course, the budget has to be controlled in such cases. You cannot put 30 crores in a DevD and expect a commercial success. Budgeting is very critical; so there is a danger and opportunity both.”

But then how do you look at Farah Khan's style of film-making? She is all formula, her scripts are for mostly please-all kind of film?
“What I like about Farah and Murugadoss is that they believe so much in what they are doing. If they think they are doing it right, they would not care a bit and stay very true to their story. So, yes, both are very masala-driven and who does not like masala. I watched Wanted recently, and thoroughly enjoyed the film. It's full-on masala; you have the hero being manly; enough of the metro-sexual already!!