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The Javed Akhtar Chat

Veeru Basanti (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:0 IST)
I believe you have appeared in a commercial for a ball point pen. Is this the son of Jan Nisar Akthar we are speaking about?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:3 IST)
Veeru Basanti: Since my father, his father and his father -- seven generations were writers, obviously, the pen was their tool. So I didn't mind advertising my family sword.

irfan (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:0 IST)
Hello Javed. Seems like you have completely given up on writing scripts and dialogues.

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:7 IST)
Irfan: Thanks for the concern but I'm sure you'll be happy to know that after a gap of couple of years I'm writing , two scripts ,one for the director Singitam Sreenivasan who made films like 'Appu Raja' 'Pushpak', and another for a young director Kavita Chowdhary who had made an extremely TV serial Udaan. This will be her first feature film.

Main Shahyar To Nahin (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:5 IST)
Mr Akthar, do you believe the quality of poetry in Hindi cinema has deteriorated? What are you doing to revive standards?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:10 IST)
Mani Shayar to nahin: I quite agree with you that one doesn't get to listen the songs of the quality that was so very common in the songs of 50's and 60's. But I believe that things are looking up. The songs that are in the pipeline now are hopefully better than the kind of songs that were inflicted on us in recent years. To reply to your query what I'm doing about it I can only request you to listen to my songs and decide for myself.

Politician (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:8 IST)
For a poet close to socialists why are you showing a new craving for money?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:13 IST)
Politician: Do you think making money is only a politician's prerogative ? My friend, its high time that we should develop a healthy relationship with money. It should neither produce greed in us nor shame. Everybody needs some money to have a decent life and writers are no exceptions as long the colour of money is not black. I suppose it should not raise any eyebrows. Right?:-)

amit (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:13 IST)
Javedji, while writing lyrics for film songs do you also have an idea what kind of tune the song should have? And how easy(or difficult) is it to pen lyrics for an already composed tune like what you have done for 'Sapnay'?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:17 IST)
Amit: I would like to tell you that film industry more often than not a song is written for a situation, to a tune. It is not only Sapnay numbers but most of my songs are written to a tune. But I MUST tell you the people who can write to the tunes don't find it a handicap on the contrary the limitation of the tune makes it easier for us to decide as to what can be written.

Vijay Who Else (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:13 IST)
Javedsaab, how would you define art? Would you call Ek Do Teen be art? Would it be superior to say your great missus's performance in a film like Arth? Have you ever compromised with art for commerce?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:27 IST)
Vijay Who Else: Dear Vijay first of all I would like to tell you that I have written this name almost as often as perhaps you have . Because in nine of my films the leading characters name was Vijay. Now we will talk about Ek Do Teen, the song. Yes, I believe that its a good song; it was written in the style of a folk song. I'll suggest that you hear the complete song . And you'll know that the whole song describes a month of pining and longing by counting days. For instance, I'll quote the first antra " chaodha ko tera sandesa aya, pandarah ko aoonga yeh kehlaya, chodha ko aya na pandarah ko tu, tadpake tune mujhe kya paya?, Solah ko bhi solah kiye the singaar, ajaa piya aayee bahar".

So that's how the song counts all the days of the month. It had the simplicity an innocence of a folk song. It had no pretensions . Maybe some so-called puritans will not except it but then such puritans had not accepted a great poet like Nazeer who used to write poetry on fruits, vegetables... Ordinary things of life instead of writing about saki and jaam.

Alka (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:25 IST)
Jaaved Saab: Though, I cannot read Urdu, one of my muslim friend told me that some of your poems are copied from the lesser known 'Urdu poets', He told me that your song in the film, "DILJALE' was copied from your 'Uncle Majas, poem' is it true? Please can you explain?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:33 IST)
Alka: My dear friend I'm fortunate enough to be complimented by great literary giants like Sardar Jafri, Dr Gopichand Narang, and any other respected writers and critics of our literature . If my poetry would have been second hand as your 'Muslim' friend has suggested, I think these writers and critics would have known about it. Besides I find it amusing that when you talk of Urdu your refer your Muslim freind. My dear Alka, I would like to tell you language don't have religions! So next time if you want to know anything about Urdu try a secular source.

Waqt ne Kiya (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:31 IST)
As someone who is married to the very political Shabanan Azmi, how do you think Muslims have been treated in India since Independence? Are you worried by the Hindu hysteria? Do you think it will die down?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:41 IST)
Waqt ne Kiya : Although I DON'T agree to the basic approach of the question but nevertheless I would want to answer it to make certain points as long as we will think in terms of Hindu communalism and Muslim communalism. We will not understand the problem but enhance it.

We have to see people as communalists and secularists. All communalists are one. Because Hindu communalism cannot survive without Muslim communalism and vice versa . So being someone who is against communalism against the idea of people hating people you have to first of all reject the communalism within yourself.

Only then you'll be able to do anything about other people's prejudices. I don't know about charity, but secularism definitely should start from the home. Once we learn that things will not look as depressing as you are finding now.

TAHSEEN KHATEEB (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:35 IST)
Javed Sahab: I am disappointed with audience because they did not like Shakti. It is one of the best movies I have seen. How difficult it was for you and Salim to balance to great stars' - Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan- roles. Was the final product to your satisfaction? Why did the movie flopped ? Your analysis please.

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:49 IST)
TAHSEEN KHATEEB: First of all let me set the record right, Shakti may not be a blockbuster but it was definitely not a flop. As a matter of fact, in different corners of the world I have met people who believed that this was the best film written by our team. As far as the actors are concerned, I believe that Dilipsahab and Amitabh are the two greatest actors Indian films have seen. And the combination or shall I say jugalbandi really brought the best of them in their performances. Quite often I asked that who I think was better personally I believe that creative arts are different from wrestling or boxing. In acting you don't work against your co-actor but work with him. And their co-ordination was superb.

Rohit (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:41 IST)
Why is Bollywood so beset with inefficiency and unprofessionalism? Don't you think if they were as organized as the West there would be fewer flops and more prosperity?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:53 IST)
Rohit: Well the answer is yes . But why only poor li'l Bollywod? Is it not true of our whole country? Li'l more efficency li'l more discipline and a li'l more honesty can help a li'l what do you say?

Salman (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:31 IST)
What is your opinion of Honey Irani as a script writer? What are her strong points? Would the two of you ever consider coming together as a professional team?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:57 IST)
Salman: Honey is doing extremely well as a scriptwriter in Lamhe and Darr. To answer your second question, let me inform you that I'm writing lyrics for a film Lawaaris for which Honey has written the script. She is going to be a director in near future and has asked me to write lyrics for her first directorial venture.

MOHAMMED KHAN (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:57 IST)
JAVED SAAB: rumor has it that BONEY KAPOOR is desperately trying to bring you and SALIM SAAB together to cowrite a script is it true???? PLEASE ANSWER ATLEAST ONE QUESTION!!!

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:58 IST)
Mohammad Khan: it's just a rumour; there is no truth in it.

Tareeq (Mon Aug 4 1997 20:56 IST)
What kind of magic is necessary to bring Amitabh back to the superstar status that you had once given him?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 21:3 IST)
Tareeq: Let me say it in no indefinite words that I don't believe for a second that I or anyone else has given the superstar status to Amitabh Bachchan. It is his exceptional talent, dedication, discipline and professionalism that took him to this height. Yes, we did offer him some exceptionally good roles, but then he got back to us with some exceptionally good performances.

So no one obliged anyone. As far as his coming back to superstar status is concerned I would say that people who have enjoyed and appreciated his work will always consider him a superstar. But we should not forget that in all performing arts, ultimately age becomes a factor. Like in sports, Gavaskar has no parallel. But obviously he couldn't have continued forever. Right?:-)

Alka (Mon Aug 4 1997 21:2 IST)
Jaaved Saab: What about a kiss to estranged wife of Nelson Mandela, 'Winnie Mandela"?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 21:5 IST)
Alka: I think it's a great idea. I really feel like kissing you for that. :-)

coomi (Mon Aug 4 1997 21:4 IST)
Any message for us poor Indians on our "50th I-Day" from you, Mr Javed Akhtar? Please don't let us sign off in disappointment!

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 21:9 IST)
Coomi: All of us know that things are not the way they ought to be but I think instead of cribbing and being cynical, let's be positive and constructive. We consider 'nationalism' and 'patriotism' as some kind of abstract ideas or turn them into jingoism. Just believe that nationalism means doing your work, whatever you do, with honesty and a quest for perfection. If all of us start doing only that much, I think we can solve a lot of problems.

TAHSEEN KHATEEB (Mon Aug 4 1997 21:3 IST)
Javed sahab: With Shabana either making films, fighting for a social cause or touring a foreign country what your day is like? Do you miss her? What is your typical day like?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 21:13 IST)
TAHSEEN KHATEEB: Yes, I do miss her when she is not around but it doesn't mean that I would ever want her to reduce her involvement with work. I'm very proud of her and her achievements. For me, it is necessary to respect a person because I can't love somebody who I don't respect. And I respect her talent, and her human concerns.

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 21:18 IST)
Dear Rohit, coomi, MOHAMMED KHAN , Transit , Alka, bman, Tareeq, TAHSEEN KHATEEB, Snap, Veeru, Basanti ,Vijay ,Main Shayar to Nahin, and all of you , it was lovely talking to you hope to converse with you again. My best wishes .

amit (Mon Aug 4 1997 21:18 IST)
Javedji, a different question: Which is your favourite dish?

Javed Akhtar (Mon Aug 4 1997 21:20 IST)
Amit: Kabab's , Vanila icecream.