After starting out as a screenwriter in television, Divy Nidhi Sharma steadily made his mark across films, television and OTT. From the deeply relatable story of Anupamaa to the understated, layered dialogue of Laapataa Ladies, his work reflects sensitivity to everyday lives.

He brings a certain warmth and charm to Sitaare Zameen Par, while in Heeramandi, his writing touches on ideas of fierce feminism.

Lately, that instinct has grown stronger.

With Chiraiya, Sharma turns to more complex and uncomfortable territory, exploring themes like marital consent and internalised patriarchy.

“A conversation starts when there are two sides to an argument. Though in the case of Chiraiya, I never thought there could be another side. Without consent, you cannot impose yourself on someone. That’s the end of it. So I don’t understand the outrage,” Divy Nidhi Sharma tells

Chiraiya sparked quite a debate. Were you expecting that kind of reaction?

We knew there could be a backlash from certain sections of society, but we wanted it to be a conversation starter, and it eventually proved to be one.

I never really thought of it as a risky subject. I saw it as an important story waiting to be told.

Your filmography often highlights strong, women-driven narratives. How do your personal experiences shape your work?

Most of us grew up in joint families and spent a lot of time with relatives.

The world we live in is shaped by these experiences. While the outside world is changing and conversations are evolving, gender politics and everyday dynamics are something we constantly observe. Maybe that’s what reflects in my work. I’ve been fortunate to get opportunities to explore these themes.

Your work also critiques societal norms. Do you ever censor yourself, or just write from the heart?

I don’t think any artist should bother about censoring their work. We censor just enough so that our work can see the light of day. Other than that, the whole world is out there to stop us from saying what we are trying to say.

A conversation starts when there are two sides to an argument.

Though in the case of Chiraiya, I never thought there could be another side. Without consent, you cannot impose yourself on someone. That’s the end of it. So I don’t understand the outrage.

Even the people who are outraging, they don’t have any substantial argument. They are enraging over manufactured memes and manufactured figures.

I also would like to believe that most of the people enraging have not really watched the show. I would like to invite them to watch the show. Once they watch it, they can have a conversation.

Do you see your writing as a form of activism?

I don’t think writers go looking for activism or issues.

Issues don’t attract me. Stories do.

It’s a dangerous trap to see yourself as an activist first and an artist later. I run after art. I would always want to see myself as an artist. Some stories will spark debate, others will be universally loved. Whatever comes naturally, we go for it.

How did your journey into screenwriting begin?

I always wanted to be a writer, which is rare because not many people grow up wanting to be screenwriters.

I spent my childhood in villages and small towns across North India in the 1980s and decided early on that this is what I wanted to do. Back then, we didn’t know how to go about it.

One afternoon, I landed in Mumbai, just like that. I started making rounds and calling people for work. Eventually, I ended up doing what I always wanted to do.

How does television treat writers compared to films?

Television shows more respect to writers. It is primarily a writer’s medium because of the sheer volume of creativity required every day.

You have to trust your writers. Star power alone isn’t enough in television.

Actors become popular because of the writing, not the other way around.

Does writing for television become monotonous? How do you deal with writer’s block?

It does get monotonous.

You need to keep reinventing yourself. To motivate yourself every single day is a task. It cannot be brilliant 365 days, but you show up and give it your best shot.

I think that’s what television teaches you. It teaches you to be a professional in the real sense of the word.

The discipline it instigates in you, it is tremendous.

Once you have written for Indian television, you can write anything, anywhere and nothing ever feels overwhelming.

You transitioned from television to cinema and OTT. What drove that shift?

Writing for television is like writing for a column in a newspaper. If you write badly, people forget it. Even if you write the best episode ever, people will forget it. No one is going to revisit that episode.

Writing for a film is more like writing a book. Someone will remember and say that scene touched me a lot. Films, or even OTT, have that retention value because your work is always there for people to see.

A film is meant to be revisited. A film is meant to be remembered. It is a part of our collective cultural memory. Every artist aspires to be a part of that.

Do you find more creative satisfaction in films?

I won’t attribute it to any of the mediums. It depends on the sort of team you are working with and the sort of working atmosphere that you have.

Writers weren’t always given due respect in the industry. How do you see things changing?

Times have changed for the better. Writers need to be respected and valued way more than they are being right now. Still, we are moving forward in the right direction.

As writers, we also have a responsibility to do a good job. A producer is ready to invest money in, so it’s our job to deliver a great script.

What about monetary compensation for writers?

It’s not fair at all, but it is getting better.

There is a reason.

I think it’s a very vicious circle. Low remuneration gives rise to mediocre writing, and mediocre writing gives birth to low remuneration. We need to break the cycle. We need to deliver great scripts. The respect has to be earned.

Do you think the era of star writers like Salim-Javed can return?

Absolutely. But they were not overnight success. Before Zanjeer, they had already delivered multiple hits like Haathi Mere Saathi, Andaaz, Seeta Aur Geeta.

How many writers are there today who can say they delivered such back to back hits?

So if we want Salim-Javed’s success, we have to give a performance like that.

I was very lucky to work with AKPL (Aamir Khan Productions). My name was there on the posters. My name was prominently above the producer’s name, right under the director’s name.

Which contemporary writers do you admire?

I really admire Himanshu Sharma’s work. I often sit with him and discuss what is happening, what is not happening, what I have to do, etc.

I like Juhi Chaturvedi. Her work is really good.

I find Sumit Arora’s work very interesting.

You have worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Aamir Khan, who are known to be taskmasters. What has that experience been like?

It has been very easy for me to work with these two.

There’s a perception about Aamir Khan that he is an interfering actor. But the reality is different.

Once you start working with him, you realise that people come with half-baked scripts all the time. He has no option but to step in.

I always try to be clear with my work.

We also have to do our job well. They are taskmasters. They won’t settle for anything less than perfection. So if you are willing to walk that extra mile or two with them, it’s a breeze.

Writers are often sensitive to things happening around them. With current global conflicts and political tensions shaping the reality, how do you make sense of things that are affecting the world?

The more the things change, the more they remain the same.

I can’t remember of a decade where the possibility of world war was not looming. I grew up in the 1980s, where we had the Iran-Iraq War. The Cold War was going on in the 1990s.

Every decade comes with its own set of complications. Of course, everyone is going to get affected.

What has changed now that there has been a slew of information. Earlier, we used to get less information. Now, it’s playing in our drawing rooms, on our tablets, on our iPhones. That has been overwhelming and it can affect anyone.

You see a bomb falling here, it does affect you. The weather is a definitely gloomy at the moment.