Written by: Ashok Kumar(IndianExpress.com)
4 min readJaipurFeb 21, 2010 05:24 PM IST
Known as an Urdu poet,lyricist and scriptwriter,Javed Akhtar is a most sought-after lyricist in Bollywood. Akhtar has won the Filmfare Award fourteen times and won the National Award five times as best Lyricist.
He is also a proud holder of the Padamshree (1999) and Padma Bhusan Award (2007). Javed Akhtar gets candid in an exclusive talk with Ashok Kumar of IndianExpress.com.
What are the big challenges before literature in the contemporary times?
The mindset of our society towards literature is one challenge for the popularity of literature. Every society has a list of priorities which it follows. Unfortunately,literature is not a priority for our society and anything that does not help us materially is not relevant for us anymore.
Why do you think is literature not popular in India?
Because of the social conditions,in which we live,most of us don’t have the time to develop aesthetic sense for literature. Moreover,the vocabulary of the younger generation is shrinking with the each passing day.
Language is not just a vehicle for communication. It is a fine art in itself. But,look,what is happening to language these days,even the proverbs have been forgotten in the language.
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What is the relevance of literary festivals in the present times?
I think it does rejuvenate your mind when you experience literary festivals like the one organized in Jaipur (Jaipur Literature Festival). Life is hectic these days and it is not very often that literary activities become your priority.
I think there is a lot of take homes in such kind of festivals as it enriches your mind in more than one ways,making the entire experience meaningful.
What is your say on the contemporary music especially from the Bollywood?
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The kind of music we have today is not the Indian music in the real sense of the word. It is very foolish on our part to abandon our traditions. We are becoming wannabe Americans at the cost of our traditional knowledge.
Bollywood is a big medium of communication in India. How can it help in the growth of literature?
Bollywood people are passive. It can never live up to the expectations of the people. I fail to understand why we are so much intimidated by the so called power of Bollywood. Most of the people in Bollywood,I have seen,are worried about what they called the Youth phenomenon. But why can’t they understand that Youth is not a monolith.
I don’t have much hope from Bollywood for literature. What I feel is,Bollywood may develop a literature of its own. Infact,screenplay should be accepted as a genre of literature.
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How do you find the lyrics coming out these days?
Lyrics these days are not cool,hence they are not hot. So,neither cool nor hot (Smiles!).
How do you see the youth of the day?
I cannot give a generalized opinion on youth. But,I feel the urban youth these days is better than my generation. Today,the youth is a lesser hypocrite.
What inspires Javed Akhtar to write so beautifully?
Anyone who is receptive towards one’s surroundings or has is antenna on can react the way I do. There is no one specific thing which inspires me. Different things inspire me at different moments. If there is one constant thing,it is the receptivity. It is the listening and you grow gradually in the process.
How can present day journalism promote literature?
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By and large Journalism leaves something to be desired. Today’s editorials are being decided by the marketing department. Modern journalism is working like the commercial cinema of the day.
