Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar believes romantic films could soon return to the forefront of Hindi cinema, as storytelling trends tend to cycle. According to her, genres often go through phases of saturation before audiences rediscover their appeal, which is why she feels love stories may be due for a revival.
Zoya believes love stories will make a comeback
Speaking during a recent screenwriting workshop organised by Whistling Woods International in collaboration with the Screenwriters Association, Zoya also shared insights into how she approaches writing and developing stories.
“See, I don’t function that way. Like, I don’t know, ‘Oh, now they’re looking for this, so let me write this.’ I don’t think that way. But if you look at it over the past 10, 15 years, it changes. Everything gets saturated, everything changes. So, I mean, if you look at it cyclically, maybe love stories will come back,” she said.
The filmmaker, known for projects such as Luck By Chance, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Gully Boy, emphasised that she prefers writing from instinct rather than trying to anticipate what the industry is looking for at any given time. The session, conducted by veteran screenwriter Anjum Rajabali, featured an in-depth conversation with Zoya about her career choices and creative process. During the discussion, she also shared updates on the projects she is currently working on.
Zoya on her upcoming projects
“We have Dahaad 2 being shot. Reema Kagti is shooting that. I’m writing two screenplays for myself. We finished one screenplay for Reema, and we are currently developing a bunch of scripts with other directors to set up and produce,” she said.
During the interaction, Zoya was also asked about the long-standing buzz around a possible sequel to Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Responding with a smile, the filmmaker chose not to reveal much, saying that any official update would only come when the time is right. For now, she maintained that there is nothing to announce and added that if a sequel ever takes shape, it will be shared publicly. “When it happens, I’ll announce it,” she said.
Zoya Akhtar on her writing process
Zoya also reflected on how her writing process has evolved over time. Recalling the early stages of writing Luck By Chance, she revealed that her initial screenplay draft was far longer than intended. The script was later reshaped with the help of Kagti, who encouraged her to streamline the narrative and trim several characters and scenes.
Since then, Zoya said she has adopted a more structured approach to writing. She now begins with a detailed outline of the story and refines it before expanding it into a full screenplay, a process that helps her keep the script focused and manageable.
Several members of the Screenwriters Association were present at the session, including writers Manisha Korde, Mitesh Shah, lyricist Ginny Diwan and Siddhant Makkar. The discussion offered aspiring writers a closer look at Zoya’s storytelling philosophy and her evolving approach to screenwriting.