Stree 2 writer Niren Bhatt slams remake culture in Bollywood: ‘Out of 25 remakes post-pandemic, 23 are flops’

Stree 2 writer Niren Bhatt attended the 7th edition of the Indian Screenwriters Conference (ISC), where he spoke on the dire situation of the industry.

Screenwriter Niren Bhatt, who has penned some of the biggest blockbusters of recent times like Stree 2, Munjya and Bhediya, did not mince his words on the topic of remake culture in Bollywood. Speaking at the Indian Screenwriters Conference (ISC), Niren said that the entire system is ‘broken’ and writers have to be the ‘disruptors’ if they want to survive. (Also read: WGA strike's chief negotiator Chris Keyser shares this advice for Indian screenwriters to fight for their rights)

Stree 2 writer Niren Bhatt said this is the worst time for writers in the industry.

‘All writers are struggling’

Niren Bhatt has been the chief writing architect of Maddock Horror Comedy Universe. At the 7th edition of the Indian Screenwriters Conference (ISC), hosted by the Screenwriters Association of India (SWA) on Friday, he said that a crisis has gripped the Hindi film industry's writing community.

He said, “There are two pictures- One is very bleak; all writers are struggling; this is the worst time for writers in the industry but then it's up to you how to navigate. I think this is also the best time because all the established rules are broken. The entire system is broken. So only disruptors will survive and writers are the biggest disruptors. People who are sticking to their guns, their films aren't working. It is the best time for disruption."

‘Out of 25 remakes post-pandemic, 23 are flops’

At the session called The Mainstream Reality, he was joined by Pathaan dialogue writer Abbas Tyrewala, writer Kanika Dhillon and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 writer Aakash Kaushik. The session was moderated by Hitesh Kewalya, writer of Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan.

There, Niren Bhatt discussed the importance of original storytelling and slammed Bollywood's current obsession with remakes. "Out of 25 remakes post-pandemic, 23 are flops. The only way to succeed is to make original content," he added.

The writer is teaming up with the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe to include titles like Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna's Thama, Stree 3 and Varun Dhawan's Bhediya 2, said if a writer finds their "voice", they can lend a franchise an organic extended life.

Kiran Rao, Shoojit Sarkar, Nikkhil Advani, Dibakar Banerjee, Biswapati Sarkar, and Anand Tiwari will attend the ISC in the upcoming days to share insights about the industry.