A good story is, almost always, the foundation of any successful media property, be it mainstream blockbuster, a compelling documentary, an art-house classic, or a gripping series. While there is lot of debate on the quality of writing itself, not much is known about what the people behind these stories think and feel about the state of their profession, and their role in the industry, in the Indian market.

To understand perceptions of screenwriters in India, on a wide array of topics, Ormax Media partnered with Tulsea in 2023, to create The Right Draft, a report is based on a first-of-its-kind survey conducted among screenwriters in India, to gauge their perceptions about various aspects of the writing profession, and about the entertainment industry in India in general. The second edition of the report, based on a survey conducted among 254 writers across streaming, theatrical, linear television, advertising, gaming, and micro dramas, is now out.

The Right Draft 2026 is organised across seven sections: The Right Pay, The Right Credit, The Right Feedback, The Right Value, The Right Nurturing, The Right Tools, and The Right Environment, capturing writer perceptions across the creative and business realities of screenwriting in India. The 2026 edition expands the lens to reflect the industry’s evolving formats and realities, including micro-dramas, and the practical impact of AI on writing workflows.

You can download the full report and read it here.

Some key highlights of the report:

1. Pay & payouts: 74% writers feel they are not paid fairly (up from 63% in 2023). 52% say payments are not timely (up from 40%), and 78% say they have to constantly follow up for due payments.

2. Credit & visibility: Over half (54%) disagree that writers are given fair credit. Nearly two-thirds (64%) say there is no defined industry standard for credits that producers/platforms follow.

3. Scripts vs. stars: In theatrical, only 6% feel producers value scripts over stars (vs 83% who feel stars dominate). In OTT, the perceived value of scripts has declined since 2023, with 62% now saying scripts are prioritised/equal (down from 76%).

4. Mentorship & support systems: Only 19% feel they have access to good mentors (down from 30% in 2023). 76% feel the industry does not provide adequate infrastructure for writers to develop their craft, and only 38% feel they have access to effective grievance redressal.

5. AI & changing expectations: 41% writers use AI tools at least sometimes. 47% do not see AI as a threat, yet 68% feel AI reduces the value of human creativity in producers’ eyes, and 50% say producers now expect faster turnarounds assuming AI usage.