Swati Patnaik: Streaming platforms forced the industry to prioritise originality

As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, the role of women in shaping narratives—both on and off screen—has become increasingly significant. From developing scripts to mentoring writers and influencing which stories ultimately reach audiences, women across the ecosystem are helping redefine the storytelling landscape. Swati Patnaik, Senior Creative Director at Applause Entertainment, offers insight into how stories move from concept to screen and why diverse perspectives are vital in today’s creative environment.

She says,"Taking a story from idea to screen is a long collaborative process. It usually begins with identifying a strong premise – a world and conflict that feels fresh and compelling. From there, the development stage involves working closely with writers to shape the characters, structure the narrative arc and build the emotional spine of the story. As a studio, we spend a lot of time asking the fundamental questions: Why this story? Why now? And why should audiences care?

For me, the key elements are authenticity of characters, emotional truth and a world that feels immersive. When a story reflects real human motivations and conflicts, audiences connect with it instinctively – regardless of the genre.

According to Patnaik, the journey of a story from idea to screen is rarely linear. She shares,"Diverse voices are essential because storytelling is ultimately about reflecting the complexity of society. When creative decision-making is shaped by people with different experiences and perspectives, the stories naturally become richer and more layered.

Women, in particular, bring perspectives that have historically been underrepresented in mainstream narratives. Their presence in writers’ rooms, development teams and leadership roles helps ensure that characters and worlds feel more authentic and nuanced.

As India’s storytelling ecosystem expands globally, this diversity will be one of our greatest strengths.

On a very important note – Streaming platforms forced the industry to prioritise originality. Once that happened, many more women finally got the chance to shape the narrative."Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”