Bollywood megastars Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan represent a scale of fame most filmmakers aspire to collaborate with at least once in their careers. However, Sudip Sharma — the acclaimed writer and creator behind gritty dramas like Paatal Lok and Kohrra — has made it clear that chasing star power has never been part of his ambition.
In a recent conversation with Digital Commentary, Sudip said he does not dream of directing either of the two icons. “No, I never had that desire. That’s why I never even tried to do that kind of work. I never came here to work with a specific star; I came here to tell my own story, to tell the kind of story I wanted to tell, to make films that I had watched and loved. That has never been a fascination for me. In fact, even if the opportunity came, I would be nervous because it’s a huge responsibility,” he shared.
‘I don’t know how to build vehicles around stardom’
Elaborating on his creative philosophy, Sudip explained that writing with a star’s image in mind does not align with how he approaches storytelling.
“You see, a star comes with a certain image, and then you have to build a vehicle around that image. I don’t know how to do that. I want to write a character, and whoever comes to play it should immerse themselves in it. I don’t want the responsibility of thinking about how the fans will react or how stardom will affect it.
Often, more discussion happens around that than the film itself, and I have no interest in any of that,” he added.
For Sudip, the focus remains firmly on the narrative rather than the celebrity attached to it.
From NH10 to OTT acclaim
Sudip made his feature screenwriting debut with NH10, headlined by Anushka Sharma. The thriller, inspired by real-life honour killing cases, marked the beginning of his journey in feature films. He later penned the screenplay and dialogues for Udta Punjab and Sonchiriya. While both films were praised critically, they did not translate into major box-office successes.
His breakthrough, however, came in the OTT space. Sudip is the creator, showrunner and writer of the widely appreciated series Paatal Lok and Kohrra. He recently co-directed Kohrra Season 2, further expanding his creative involvement.
