Ludhiana girl Jessica Khurana, who is co-writing Two Much With Kajol and Twinkle, finds it easy to be part of the show biz

From writers not getting enough credit to whether they should get credit for writing a talk show, our questions for writer Jessica Khurana are as many as the ones which jostle in her latest project — Two Much With Kajol and Twinkle.As one of the three co-writers of the show that is currently grabbing eyeballs, our very own Ludhiana di kudi takes us behind the scenes as to what does it take to write/structure a show which rides largely on impromptu responses of the guests.She is candid enough to admit, “Indeed, I too had this niggling doubt that while in fictional narratives we create a new world, here we don’t have control over how the show would ultimately flow. So, should we even be asking/ getting acknowledgment?”Yet, she also lets us in on the extensive research involved. As she puts it, “After all, we are dealing with such noted celebrities: there is no room for error.” The fact that it’s not one or two but four celebrities in the fray, only adds to the challenge. Jessica reminds us, “Our anchors are not regular interviewers but famous people who have been on the other side. Questions have to be framed according to their celeb status and their individual personalities. However, since they are insiders, they are privy to so much information and have many anecdotes to tell.” Yet, at no point, the idea behind the show was to spice it up or make it gossipy or even have click-bait headlines.In a world teeming with so many shows in the same space, what makes theirs different is woman creator Mrinalini Jain at the helm, two female anchors and the largely feminine gaze. While viewers have quite enjoyed the episode with Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan as guests as also the one featuring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, Jessica’s personal favourite is Govinda and Chunky Panday special. She gushes, “Govinda sir is such a big superstar and has the ability to make for such endearing conversation without stirring a hornet’s nest or roasting anyone.”How does this girl from Ludhiana fit in among the bevy of stars? She says, “It’s easy to be part of this world, provided you are unpretentious, true to yourself and don’t wear a mask.” Since so many Punjabis are already making a mark in Tinsel Town makes her doubly proud. Meeting Vicky Kaushal, also one of the guests on the show was even more special, since, “he can converse so well in Punjabi.”On how this fashion designer landed in Bollywood and more importantly began writing, well to cut a long story short, her first writing assignment came from Vikram Bhatt. She recalls, “I was assisting him and as luck would have it, there was a writers’ crisis and he asked me to step in for web series Hadh.” If from Vikram she learnt ‘less is more’ Ekta Kapoor with whom she worked in Fixer and XXX comes in for fulsome praise too. “Ekta is the best business brain and knows exactly what would work and what would not,” adds Jessica. Yet another creative mind she holds in great esteem is Niranjan Iyengar, executive producer of Two Much… “A former journalist and dialogue writer of movies like Kal Ho Na Ho, My Name is Khan, Jism et al, he is someone I truly admire because of his ability to write across multiple genres.”The kind of writing she would like to stick to, well, her answer is, “progressive ideas without being preachy, dysfunctional love stories and how big issues are normalised in some families. In short, basic simple issues but ones which matter.”On the anvil is a courtroom drama as well as Kajol-starrer Maharagni: Queen of Queens. Fast climbing the ladder of success? Only she interjects, “It’s been an eight-year haul.” Dispelling notions that Bollywood is a big bad wolf, her advice to aspirants is, “Just go for it; grab it with both hands.” Just as she has seized the opportunity to be ‘two much’, ‘three much’ and more.

Ludhiana girl Jessica Khurana, who is co-writing Two Much With Kajol and Twinkle, finds it easy to be part of the show biz

Nonika Singh

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