Assi Writer Gaurav Solanki On Being Highest Paid Crew Member: 'Script Is Most Important, I'm Proud'

In an industry where actors usually take home the biggest paycheques, Assi is quietly flipping the script. The upcoming Anubhav Sinha film has put its writer front and centre, not just creatively, but financially too and Gaurav Solanki is taking it with pride.

“I only found out about this a few days ago,” he told Hindustan Times. He added, “I was very happy not for the money but that a writer is getting their due. A writer begins a film in a dark room, all by himself, when there is nobody else. The script is the most important thing in the film. That determines the film’s structure. So this is a very positive sign.”

“I am proud that this happened to me, and I hope it happens to more writers and more films, so that it inspires an entire generation

of new writers. We will get newer stories this way, and our diversity will increase,” he added.

Previously, he told PTI, “I believe it sets a new benchmark in Hindi cinema, and I feel happy and proud that this has happened. It is not just about money; it is about respect that was long overdue. So it is definitely a good thing for the entire writers’ community because script is the backbone of a film.”

He also said, “Whether it is a big tentpole movie or a smaller-budget film, they all start as a story on a plain white paper. So in a way, we are definitely making a statement with this film that writers and the script get the respect they deserve, at least in content-driven cinema.”

Written by Solanki, Assi is scheduled to release on February 20. The film delves into a sensitive and complex subject, centring on the aftermath of a violent assault. The investigative thriller is directed by Anubhav Sinha and features Taapsee Pannu in the lead role. The film marks Sinha’s third collaboration with Taapsee Pannu after Mulk and Thappad.

The film also features an ensemble that includes Kani Kusruti, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Revathy, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Supriya Pathak Kapur and Naseeruddin Shah in pivotal roles. Presented by Gulshan Kumar and T-Series, Assi is produced under the Benaras Mediaworks banner by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Anubhav Sinha.