I wish for a society that’s free of prejudice, says Farhan Akhtar

We were all first-timers at some point. It does not feel any different being directed by a first-timer as long as I am convinced that the director is passionate about the film he or she is making. If you get a sense of their vision for the film and their aesthetics of your performance, then it does not matter whether you work with a new or an experienced director.

Does the director in you take a backseat when you act in someone else’s film?

Absolutely. You have to surrender yourself to the vision of the movie. But you do that when you are absolutely clear about what the director wants to do. You have to ask questions and have ideas and suggestions. You have to make the idea that is in someone else’s mind your own to make the audience believe in your character.

This year, movies with big stars have not done well.

We have to give the audience the respect to decide what they wish to watch and love. I am sure the movies that have not worked were also made with an intention of telling a good story. But the audience could be in a different mood and wanting to watch something else. That can happen. Instead of worrying, we should pay attention to what the audience is interested in.

Do you think this is an indication that the filmmakers should give more attention to content than they have done so far?

The first six-seven months of this year, the box-office results were different from what we usually get. By putting nails on coffins, we are probably reacting a bit too fast. I believe that there is a focus on wanting entertaining yet engaging content. If that’s the demand made on us, we should all celebrate. Filmmaking, whatever the window dressing or the scale of a film may be, is eventually about telling a story. If the audience is saying ‘please, tell us a good story’, we should be very happy about it.

Are we equipped to meet that demand?

For many years now, there is an ongoing debate and discussion on writing for movies. We have also been discussing the status of writers, the critical acclaim they enjoy and the fee structure. It is the right time to pick up that debate again. Excel Entertainment (Akhtar’s production house) has the policy of giving the writers a royalty sharing deal. A lot of times writers think of directing to earn more credibility and fame. Writing is a separate job from directing. If writers get paid better and enjoy more acclaim, they can be the stars. Then a lot more people would focus on good writing.

In your Facebook post on Ram Rahim, you have made an effort to present the facts, clarify and engage in a discussion with your followers.

Firstly, this case in particular, apart from all the other crimes, ties with something I have been openly discussing — gender violence. You have a case of this nature where two women have been so brave and faced the severe odds stacked against them to come out and tell their stories. Somehow, when the time comes for them to get justice, it is forgotten what the case is about. Everything becomes about this personality and the cult around it. It was important to remind people what this was about. It was also necessary to tell them to be sympathetic towards these women and put themselves in their shoes.

How important is it that public figures like you speak up?

You have to ask others how important is it for them to react. Since I believed it was important, I posted on the matter. It has nothing to do with the fact that we are in films. At the end of the day, we are citizens of the same country and share the same society. And, what do we wish the society to be like? That has nothing to do with me being an actor. Being a parent to my daughters, son to my parents and friends to many people, I would wish for a society that’s fair to everyone, that’s free of prejudice and as non-divisive as possible.

You had an agnostic upbringing. How has that shaped you?

In all honesty, there was nothing conscious on my parents’ part. They let my sister Zoya (Akhtar) and me decide for ourselves what our belief system should be. When we went to school, we always prayed. To start the day, there was always, ‘Thank you God, the world is so sweet’. We had friends whose parents were religious and we totally respected that. They are entitled to what gives them solace. The trouble starts when you begin enforcing your opinion on others or thinking less of them because they don’t share the same belief.

On Independence Day, your Facebook post said: ‘Don’t just be a naam ka Indian. Be a kaam ka Indian’. How do you suggest people achieve that?

Do the best you can. Be honest and sincere. If you are a doctor or farmer, be sincere about your profession. If you can do what you do honestly, you will end up serving your country. We are going through a phase when shouting from the rooftops about how Indian someone is, is considered to be more patriotic than doing deeds.