I Want Sankalp to Compete With Aashram: Disha Jha

"I want Sankalp to compete with Aashram," says Disha Jha, the founder of Pen Papers Scissors Entertainment, sharing more details about her upcoming Bollywood endeavours. In an exlcusive interview with Deccan Chronicle, she talks about her father, veteran film maker Prakash Jha, about industry’s evolution, and what it means to be considered an “insider” in an industry heavily rocked by nepotism charges.

Excerpts:

You’ve been in the industry for quite some time. Could you tell us a little about your journey?

I started my career as a costume assistant in Rajneet. My job mainly involved costume supervision and maintaining continuity. It was my first film and had a huge star cast, so there was a lot to learn. After that, I tried working in different departments—being an assistant director, coordinating with actors, and even doing a bit of work in the art department. Eventually, during Chakravyuh, I stepped into production and discovered that I really enjoyed that part of filmmaking.

How satisfied are you dealing with every sphere of film-making?

Today, production is not just about managing budgets. It’s a creative process. From developing scripts, creating a writers’ room, casting actors, overseeing shoots, to publicity and delivery to platforms—you’re involved in every stage. I find it extremely fulfilling and I genuinely love what I do.

Earlier filmmaking was very different. How different is the corporate production world today?

Yes, earlier films were made differently. A producer would finance the film and distribution was handled separately. Today, with corporate studios involved, especially for web shows, the studio often comes on board from the very beginning.

In our show,” Sankalp,” Jio Studios was involved even before our production house got fully engaged. So, it becomes a collaborative journey. Having a platform attached from the start makes the process smoother because there’s always guidance and support if you get stuck creatively or technically. For me, it was my first web show, and I’m grateful that the team at Jio trusted me with such a big project. I learned a lot during the process and built relationships that will last a lifetime.

You’ve worked on both films and web series. How different is producing for OTT compared to theatrical films?

Both processes are actually quite similar in terms of making the content. The main difference is the medium where the audience watches it. With films, the biggest satisfaction is seeing it on the big screen in theatres. With web shows, the audience watches it on OTT platforms. However, when a studio is involved, they have certain standard procedures—like brand usage, legal guidelines, and content restrictions. These are mostly to avoid legal issues, and they don’t really interfere with the creative storytelling. Overall, the process of making the content remains very similar.

Your father’s work is known for powerful socio-political storytelling. What is Sankalp about?

Sankalp is not purely political. It’s inspired loosely by the stories of Chanakya and Chandragupta. The show has been written by a very talented writer who has created an interesting world and strong characters. The story is essentially about revenge, with politics as a backdrop. It’s more of a personal revenge story than a purely political narrative. Once audiences watch it, they’ll realize it’s quite different from typical political dramas.

Revenge is a central theme in the show. What are your thoughts about revenge in real life?

In the show, revenge is important because the protagonist, played by Nana Patekar, faces humiliation and betrayal. That moment leads him to return with vengeance and build an entire force to reclaim power. But in real life, I believe revenge is something people should avoid. It only eats you from within. Positivity and moving forward in life are far more important.

Nana Patekar is known for his strong personality. How was it working with him?

There’s actually a misconception about Nana sir. He’s extremely fun-loving. He and my father [Prakash Jha] share a long relationship, so when he heard the script, he trusted the project and agreed fairly quickly. On set, he was very dedicated and also quite playful—he enjoys joking around and pulling people’s leg. Like any human being, he can get irritated at times, but that’s normal. Overall, working with him was a wonderful experience.

As someone considered an “insider,” how do you view the insider-outsider debate?

Being an insider might get you a seat at the table, but the struggle after that is entirely yours. Over the last two years, my team and I have faced many rejections while pitching content to studios. We’ve had moments where we felt discouraged and had to rethink our ideas. What I’ve learned is to believe in the stories you want to tell. Even if one door closes, another will eventually open. Patience and persistence are extremely important in this industry.

What would you say are your biggest strengths today?

My biggest strength is not giving up on what I believe in.

I also have strong faith—in myself, in my work, and in God. That faith keeps me going through difficult times.

What qualities have you inherited from your parents?

From my father yet not fully inherited this-I admire his discipline and consistency. He follows a strict routine every day—same schedule, same food, same habits—for years. I haven’t completely adopted that discipline yet, but I’m working toward it.

From my mother- I’ve learned to be emotional and honest in work. She only takes up projects that truly connect with her from within. I feel the same way—anything I choose to do must resonate with me emotionally.

What are your plans for the coming year? What projects are you working on next?

There are quite a few projects in the pipeline. Aashram 4 is going to happen very soon. We are also planning Raajneeti 2, which will begin soon- in the near future. Apart from that, there are a couple of web shows currently in development and one or two smaller films that are already in production. So yes, our plate is quite full at the moment. But right now, my entire focus is on Sankalp. I really hope audiences watch the show and give it as much love as they gave to Aashram, and hopefully help us break those records.

Will Raajneeti 2 be made for the big screen?

Yes, Raajneeti 2 will definitely be a theatrical release. On the other hand, Aashram continues to be an OTT project. Reigning as number 1 show.

Aashram has been a hugely successful show. Do you see Sankalp competing with it?

Yes, absolutely. In fact, I often tell my team that we need to break the records set by Aashram. Right now, it is one of the top-performing shows. My hope is that Sankalp achieves even higher viewership numbers and becomes an even bigger success.