Ahead of his appearance on the digital show, The Story, actor-writer Sumeet Vyas says he’s eager to pen scripts that are “not ordinary”
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; April 3, 2018)

Apart from delivering some power-packed performances, Sumeet Vyas has penned several scripts for the web. Vyas will share a few interesting highlights of his life on Zee5’s web show, The Story, which sees celebrities narrate and enact events from their life. But Vyas insists that this wouldn’t be the first time incidents from his life will play out on screen. A writer, he says, weaves such occurring into almost every script he pens. In an interview with mid-day, he talks about working on the next season of Tripling, and how the web space is finally being acknowledged by bigwigs of the film industry.

What inspired you to narrate incidents from your life?
As a scriptwriter, I’ve penned several scenes for reel, ones that were inspired from my life. But few know that they were derived from real-life events. When I got an opportunity to enact scenes for a show that talks about my life, I was interested. When people know that part of the story being depicted is true, they tend to be more interested in the film. It was tough to zero in on the story that I wanted to narrate because depicting certain events of my life may be illegal [laughs]. But, you can never tell a real story without garnishing it. The challenge was to keep from dramatising it so much that the truth is lost. It was an interesting process.

With an increase in the film offers coming your way, will we see less of you on the web?
I’m writing the second season of TVF Tripling (2016). CEOgiri, the show I star in, is already airing. Today, if you are doing a web show, it’s not frowned upon. Initially, when Permanent Roommates, one of my first successful web outings released, people accepted it. But I felt a certain amount of resistance from the film and TV industries in acknowledging this medium. Today, everyone is participating in it. Filmmakers cannot ensure their film is successful by buying all the screens. The web offers freedom, it’s a democratic medium.

What, according to you, defines a web show’s success?
People gauge success by the number of views it has received, but I don’t believe in this method. Nowadays, TRPs can be boosted by a tech-savvy person. But, when people send you personal messages and positive responses on social media or in person, you get a sense of the number of viewers watching your show.

What, according to you, has been your best written work?
I enjoyed writing Tripling. The experience was surreal and overwhelming. Now, I want to attempt a genre that explores what’s not ordinary. Maybe a psychotic thriller or an action drama. I want to explore the Black Swan in me.

Tripling garnered mixed reactions. What kind of feedback did you receive?
People said that the climax didn’t meet their expectations. It was a conscious decision to have an unconventional ending.

What can we expect in season 2?
It’s a secret [laughs]. Season 2 will be a road trip across select Indian cities. We are trying to include cultural influences in the story.