Tollywood Directors’ Ego: Great Frames, Terrible Writing

Tollywood Screenwriting And Writers

In Tollywood, many directors want complete control over their films but fail to give screenwriting the importance it deserves.

There is nothing wrong with a director writing and directing their own film. Several great filmmakers have done it successfully. The problem begins when directors treat writing as a one-person job and see collaboration with specialised writers as unnecessary interference.

One major complaint is that some films are built around individual scenes and elevation blocks rather than a strong story. Recent films like Peddi, Toxic and The Paradise had exciting moments, but the stories connecting those moments were weak. They lacked the solid writing needed to make those blocks truly effective.

A dedicated screenwriter can question the logic, identify weak scenes and point out gaps in the screenplay. But when directors surround themselves with people who rarely challenge their ideas, these problems go unnoticed.

This yes-man culture becomes more dangerous as a director’s reputation grows. The bigger the filmmaker, the harder it can be for people around them to offer honest feedback.

Tollywood has shown what strong writing partnerships can achieve. SS Rajamouli’s collaboration with his father, Vijayendra Prasad, delivered several memorable films. The Bapu-Mullapudi Venkata Ramana partnership also demonstrated the value of combining visual storytelling with strong writing. The Paruchuri Brothers and B. Gopal delivered industry hits like Samarasimha Reddy, Narasimha Naidu and Indra.

If cinematography, choreography, editing and music require specialised talent, why is writing treated as a job anyone can do?

Tollywood needs to respect screenwriting as a specialised craft. Ultimately, audiences do not buy tickets just for a frame, a fight or a background score. They want a story that makes them feel something.

Writing is the foundation of a film. Every performance, frame, song and action sequence must serve the story, not compensate for its weaknesses. Tollywood must stop neglecting or trivializing the writer’s contribution. Discover good writers, encourage them, give them creative freedom and pay them what they deserve. No amount of visual grandeur, action, loud BGM, big budgets, star power or technical brilliance can save a film built on weak writing.