In a candid conversation, multifaceted writer, director, producer and former theatre artist Vikas Kapoor opens up about his journey from the streets of Kanpur to the national stage. The man widely known in the television and film industry as “God’s own writer” for his trailblazing mythological serials reflects on two prestigious awards that shaped his career — the Kala Shri Award conferred by then Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998 and the President Award for Best Film on National Integration in 2002. He also shares memories of a spirited 2015 charity cricket match captured in a rare group photograph (see below), an event that underscores his lifelong passion for cricket — a passion that later inspired his ambitious feature film on physically challenged cricketers.

Q: Mr. Kapoor, congratulations on your remarkable body of work. The Kala Shri Award from Prime Minister Vajpayee in 1998 and the President Award for Best Film on National Integration in 2002 are milestones. What do these honours mean to you today?

Vikas Kapoor: These awards are not just trophies on my shelf — they are blessings that kept me going during the early struggles. The Kala Shri Award in 1998 came at a time when I had just begun making a mark in Mumbai after leaving Kanpur. It was a huge morale booster from no less than Atalji himself. And the President Award in 2002 for my film Shirdi Saibaba (presented by then President Hon. K.R. Narayanan) was special because it recognised cinema’s power to promote national integration and spiritual unity. I come from a theatre background in Kanpur where we performed plays on social and mythological themes with very limited resources. These honours told me that stories rooted in faith and unity have a place in mainstream India.

Q: Your transition from playwright and theatre director in Kanpur to scripting iconic TV serials like Om Namah Shivay, Shree Ganesh, Jai Santoshi Maa, Shirdi Sai Baba and Shobha Somnath Ki earned you the tag “God’s own writer”. How did that journey unfold?

Vikas Kapoor:  I started in Kanpur as a playwright and theatre director, writing and staging plays on mythology and social issues. The move to Mumbai happened when Nitish Bhardwaj invited me to write for Geeta Rahasya. Suddenly I was “stamped” as a writer of religious serials — and I embraced it wholeheartedly. I consider it a punya (blessing) from the Almighty. I rewrote episodes of Om Namah Shivay from the 135th episode onwards, brought fresh research-based twists to Shree Ganesh (the first serial on Lord Ganesha’s legend), and scripted several others. These shows were re-telecast years later and still resonate because they were made with devotion and rigorous research, not just drama.

Q: You have also produced serials and ventured into feature films. One project that stands out is your directorial debut on physically challenged cricketers. Tell us about Jazba (also referred to as Chal Jeet Le Ye Jehan).

Vikas Kapoor: It was only months after the BCCI’s Committee of Administrators approved India’s participation in the first-ever World Cup for physically challenged cricketers in England that I conceptualised the film. The movie Jazba follows the real hardships these players faced in childhood and their inspiring journey to the international stage. I decided to cast the players themselves — including a right-arm bowler who uses a five-foot stick because his left hand doesn’t function. No actor could replicate that authenticity. The film highlights their indomitable spirit, exactly the kind of national integration story my earlier award-winning work celebrated.

Q: The second photograph we are featuring today is from the 2015 Arise Challenge Trophy cricket match — “Hon. Parliamentarians vs IB’ Town Boys” at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi. You are seen in the group picture with the teams and gleaming trophies on the red carpet. What does this image represent for you?

Vikas Kapoor:(smiles) That photograph brings back wonderful memories! It was a charity match organised under the Arise Challenge Trophy on a sunny October Sunday in 2015. I played with the IB’ Town Boys team against the Hon. Parliamentarians side. Standing there in cricket whites with fellow enthusiasts, politicians, and sports lovers — surrounded by trophies and the vibrant atmosphere — reminded me why I love the game. Cricket has always been close to my heart; it teaches teamwork, resilience and fighting against odds. That spirit is what I tried to capture years later in Jazba. Looking at this picture today, I feel the same excitement — it was one of those rare days when the film-maker in me stepped aside and the cricketer in me came alive. These moments keep me grounded.

Q: Any message for aspiring writers and directors who face struggles like you did in Kanpur?

Vikas Kapoor: Stay true to your stories and your faith. Awards are wonderful, but the real reward is when your work touches hearts — whether it’s a mythological serial, a film on national integration, or a story of physically challenged athletes who refuse to give up. And yes, keep playing cricket — it builds character like nothing else!

Vikas Kapoor continues to write books, produce content and nurture new projects, proving that his journey from Kanpur theatre to national acclaim is far from over. The 2015 cricket photograph stands as a perfect metaphor for the man — always ready to bat for the underdog, whether on the field or on screen.