'Mr & Mrs Mahi' writer Nikhil Mehrotra: My opinion was sought on casting

The lead actors have reunited after Roohi

Writer Nikhil Mehrotra has three sports dramas in his resume - Dangal (2016), Panga (2020) and the upcoming Mr & Mrs Mahi. But he refrains from slotting them in the genre. To him, the sport is secondary. "The story is about people and their emotions. If Panga was just about kabaddi, would it land? No, it had to be a woman's story who leaves the sport and returns to it. With Mr & Mrs Mahi, I was excited about telling the story of cricket and a couple," he explains.

Starring Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor, Mr & Mrs Mahi revolves around a doctor whose husband - a former cricketer - discovers her talent for the game. The drama marks Mehrotra's reunion with director Sharan Sharma after Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020). "It's a blessing working with people who understand what you are trying to say even before you say it. He is aligned with my vision."

Nikhil Mehrotra

Unfortunately, writers are often perceived to be at the bottom of the rung, having little to no say on how their material shapes up on screen. But Mehrotra says he has been lucky with Sharma and the studios he collaborated with so far. "My opinion has always mattered. Take this film for example - my opinion was sought on casting. I was expected to be there at the shoot. Dharma Productions make you feel valued. Your vision is respected, and when it is put on screen, your opinion is sought. I'm grateful to have only worked with those who value others' creative opinions."

This film marks the writer's return after the polarising Bawaal (2023), which was deemed insensitive by many for drawing parallels between a married couple's woes and the horrors of the Holocaust. A year on, as he looks back, how did the discourse affect him? "It impacts a writer. A part of society loved it. When I met creators and writers, they asked a lot of questions. We had expected that when we wrote the film." But is there room to make an outrageous film today? "Outrageous can have many interpretations. Due to social media, the flak and opinions have multiplied. So, we are more mindful."