MA Screenwriting Alumna Sonali Mehta on Writing The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh

Sonali Mehta is a rising talent in the world of screenwriting, bringing humour, heart, and cultural authenticity to the projects she works on. An MA Screenwriting alumna, Sonali recently co-wrote The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh, a comedy series that has been making waves for its fresh and heartfelt portrayal of an immigrant family’s experiences in America.

Drawing from both her personal background and her deep passion for storytelling, Sonali has carved out a space for herself in the competitive world of television writing. In this interview, she shares insights into her creative process, the challenges of breaking into the industry, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh has received widespread acclaim. What inspired you to tell this story, and how much of it is drawn from your personal experiences or observations?

The concept of this series was loosely inspired by the real immigration story of our showrunner, Vijal Patel. I give him so much credit for being able to take a step back from what really happened and distil the very real feelings and experiences he went through into a timely, intriguing comedy centred around characters that we all shaped together but which still rang true to the people they were based on.

It’s definitely a delicate balance, but it takes someone who truly loves comedy to be able to laugh at themselves and their personal experiences. That gave the rest of us writing staff a lot of freedom to pour ourselves into the characters and the situations we created. I like to joke that, second to Vijal, I – as a Gujarati child of immigrants who grew up in Pennsylvania – have lived the show.

Our experiences in that specific part of the country gave us great contextual moments that I think will truly resonate with Pennsylvania audiences, but we tried to keep the show universally interesting, emotional and funny.

At the end of the day, we wanted to write a show about a family of lovable, quirky people, and I think all of our experiences and observations of people we know and love came in equal use to that end.

How did you approach balancing comedy with meaningful cultural commentary in the show?

Our writers’ room was very much comedy-first! Vijal taught me so much about wrapping the lesson in a joke or in a funny situation, so that’s how we approached it.

We all have things we want to say in our writing – whether that be about culture, gender, politics, religion, you name it – but I think the greatest skill I learned on The Pradeeps was that a spoonful of sugar (in this case, comedy) really helps the medicine go down in the most delightful and surreptitious way.

You can say whatever message you want to say, but if you make someone laugh while hearing it — then they don’t even realise you’ve taught them something. I think that’s why our favourite teachers are the funny ones.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while bringing The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh to life?

The changing landscape of Hollywood has been a big hurdle. The writers’ strike in 2023 delayed us right in the middle of production and post-production, pushing our release date quite a bit.

We also had to navigate some changes in the streaming world to make sure our show still got on the air. I think the ‘business’ part of the business impacts the whole process after the writing is done, and on a TV show where the writers are still involved, that can be a challenging landscape to navigate.

Comedy can be incredibly nuanced. How do you find the balance between humour and authenticity when crafting dialogue and scenes?

I think I’m still trying to learn how to strike that perfect balance. Generally, I think, especially in comedy, the key to writing funny scenes is to make sure the joke comes from a place of character, or emotion, or situation. It has to be deeper than a witty one-liner or dialogue that’s pretty to read.

And I’ve found that a lot of times, actually making the line shorter can make it funnier. For example, one of my favourite running jokes on The Pradeeps is how Stu Mills will respond to a long, eloquent line from Bhanu by just going: “Tight”. It’s so him to respond that way, a little dumb but endearingly supportive. So this is a tough one, but it’s really exciting when you nail it.

Who are some of your biggest influences as a writer, and how have they shaped your style?

By far my favourite franchise to exist maybe ever is the Fargo universe, the film and the series. I think the Coen brothers have an incredible ability to find comedy in the smallest, most mundane moments — and somehow make that comedy universal. They truly utilise every aspect of this medium to extract the indescribable hilarity of being human: from actors’ expressions, to gestures, to framing, to music and rhythm.

I have really tried to learn how to observe tiny moments of comedy in everyday life, and put those into my writing — I want my stories and worlds to feel lived-in and grounded, but still very, very funny. I still re-watch Fargo or The Big Lebowski or even No Country for Old Men and marvel at how there are new tiny moments of comedy to discover every time.

I also love going back to old classics, anything Hitchcock or old TV shows like Columbo, to try and feel what made these pieces so beloved by audiences — I have found myself really looking at the hits (which can feel obvious or clichéd) and trying to figure out why they were hits, why they endured. I think that’s made me a better writer, not just for the executives reading my work, but especially now that I’m writing scripts that are being shot.

Do you have any advice for aspiring screenwriters on how to create compelling, relatable stories that stand out?

I think you stand out by not trying to stand out. Instead, tell your story the way it should be told, the most dramatic, or funny or sentimental you can make it.

One strategy that changed the way I write is to imagine what my audience is feeling — and wanting — from my story. Is this a moment where they would really enjoy a laugh? Or a cry? Could this reveal be pushed to make it more intriguing and suspenseful for them?

My scripts that have gotten the most response are the ones that have an “oh sh*t!” moment. Give your readers a specific moment that will be something they want to tell someone else about: “I just read this script/watched this TV show and you won’t believe what happened in it!”

You stand out in this industry by being memorable.

Breaking into the US TV industry can be tough, especially as an international writer. What steps did you take to make connections and gain traction in the industry?

Network, network, network. Write, write, write.

I started out by, and even still do, taking as many meetings with new people as I can. Try to form genuine connections, too. A lot of my closest friends in LA started out as a slightly awkward business coffee or Zoom calls. But the people who have my back, who will really try to help me get that next job or set up a pitch, are the ones who I’ve shared a connection with beyond just work.

Secondly, it’s really true that when you take a general meeting, the question is always asked: “What else are you working on?” and I’ve found it really useful to have a new answer to that question every so often, even if I haven’t actually written the whole script yet.

You can tell what concepts people are excited by just by pitching them the logline of an idea you have — and then you can pursue that if it’s getting a lot of excitement. I’ve found that strategy pretty useful because I can then write the script and come back to that person and say, “that concept we discussed, I have a script if you’d like to read it!” Most times, because they already have some buy-in, they say yes. Try to get as many eyes as you can on your best work.

What was the most significant turning point in your career after graduating from MetFilm School?

Definitely getting staffed on The Pradeeps, and even though that was the single biggest turning point for me, it took years of background work — developing a relationship with my showrunner on other projects (which went nowhere), staying in touch, and letting him get to know me enough that when he had a show to staff, he already knew that I would be a good addition to the staff.

What are your thoughts on the changing landscape of television, particularly the rise of streaming platforms, and how has this affected your approach to storytelling?

There are pros and cons, of course, to this. The biggest pro is that with streamers, you can tell stories that traditional TV wouldn’t have dreamed of touching. Instead of a strict half-hour comedy or hour-long drama, you could have a show that has episodes of varying lengths. You could have a half-hour murder mystery or an hour-long dramedy. It’s really allowed for non-traditional stories to be recognised and celebrated.

On the other hand, a lot of the streamers are run based on the bottom line: what concepts or packages are going to bring in revenue for them? I think in this age of every streamer competing for subscribers (because no one can or wants to afford them all), there are very specific and high standards that your show has to reach before they’ll buy it. So, it’s opened things up in a lot of ways, but it’s also raised the bar incredibly high.

In terms of my approach, I don’t think it’s changed it that much. Like I said before, tell the story as absolute best as you can, because the creators who prioritise good stories above almost anything else are the ones that break out from the pack.

How did being in an international and collaborative environment at MetFilm School prepare you for the US entertainment industry?

Studying in the UK was my first major dose of living, working, and socialising with people that didn’t grow up in the States. I’m not trying to be cheesy but, at MetFilm, I really learnt just how big the world is, and how many different types of entertainment there are.

In working with my classmates, a lot of whom I’m still great friends with and one of whom I ended up marrying (love you, Hormazd!) I learnt to look for the universal emotion that connects us, while celebrating what makes us different from each other.

It taught me how to communicate in the entertainment industry with almost anyone, and get my viewpoint across just as clearly as I could understand theirs. In a relationship-based industry like ours, that kind of communication is super valuable, whether you’re discussing a concept, a budget, or even giving notes in your writers’ group.

I also found it so helpful to go onto my first professional sets with the practical knowledge that shooting all of those projects at MetFilm gave me. It was a boost to know what kit we had to rent, and how much time it takes to load in and out — so really pay attention to shoots at school, learn from the producers and DOPs and directors, because that knowledge will set you apart on your first real sets, and get you noticed for being useful. That’s what gets you hired from your first job to your second and third.

What advice would you give to current MetFilm School students who aspire to follow a similar career path?

Find yourself a job that can pay the bills and allow you to pursue screenwriting, because it’s a marathon. I heard early on that the only difference between writers that ultimately make it and those who don’t are that some gave up just a little too soon.

There are so many reasons why this career can be hard and disheartening, but if you really want it, you have to figure out a way to stay in it no matter what.

Sonali Mehta’s journey from MetFilm School to the writers’ room of The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh is a testament to perseverance, adaptability, and the power of authentic storytelling.

Her experiences highlight the importance of balancing comedy with meaningful themes, navigating industry challenges, and staying committed to the craft even in the face of obstacles.

As she continues to make her mark in the television world, her advice to aspiring writers is both practical and inspiring: make connections, keep creating, and never underestimate the impact of a well-timed joke.

The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh is available to stream on Amazon Prime now.

Interested in following in Sonali’s footsteps?

You can now start your MA in Screenwriting at MetFilm School in April or September.

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