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The industry paid a price of being high profile. But life moves on. Today, the industry is back on its feet: Javed Akhtar
The writer-poet talks about the film industry being vilified last year, adds now we are slowly moving towards normalcy. Maybe we will need some time but things are gathering momentum
Not one to mince words, Javed Akhtar has always spoken his mind. He has been vocal about many issues including the vilification of the industry last year. Ask him if the negativity that plagued Bollywood affect him in any manner and the senior writer-poet says, “The industry paid a price of being high profile. Film industry se bahut logon ka strange relation hai. They love, hate, admire, envy - basically have mixed feelings. What happened was an unjustified, unfair and extreme attack on the industry. Chalo, yeh bhi hona tha. Today, the industry is back on its feet. Things kept moving on.”
He adds that there are so many great talents, wonderful, virtuous people who make the industry what it is. Akhtar finds the allegation of nepotism just absurd, “because you can give a chance to your kid but you can’t make them a star. If that was possible, every actor would do so. Sure, a star kid gets a break more easily than others but that won’t mean anything if the kid doesn’t have talent. It is the audiences who decide who to love, make a celebrity and a star. There can be no rigging,” he says.
Being the chairman of Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS), last year, Akhtar worked towards helping musicians and technicians in dire need financially through the society and personally helped the non-members too. “Waqt kat gaya and now we are slowly moving towards normalcy. Maybe we will need some time but things are gathering momentum.”
As most of last year was in lockdown, he reveals that this year will be hectic for him. “Suddenly, I have a lot of work this year. I am working on three scripts and also, for the first time in my life, writing a short film. I also intended to do some work on OTT. Poetry toh chal hi rahi hai. Among other things, IPRS ka kaam, social issues hai and later, a celebration of 100 years of (lyricist) Sahir Ludhianvi is being planned,” he shares.
With the vaccine out there now, the veteran writer admits that he will get one. “I believe it is not enough to think rationally but one should act rationally. Don’t be rash, read and enquire about the vaccine that’s most trustworthy and has got good results and go for it,” he concludes.
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