Marking his 81st birthday on January 17, Bollywood's veteran lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar spoke candidly to Rediff about contemporary cinema, society, and why he stepped away from writing screenplays for years. Speaking about the present-day industry, Akhtar expressed concern over what he sees as a deeper societal issue. Reflecting on the kind of stories being told today, he said, “Somewhere our society’s collective morality is lost. There’s a kind of moral confusion in our society that reflects in our films."
He went on to point out how filmmakers often avoid engaging with real issues. “Filmmakers are hiding behind romance, ghost stories, murder mysteries and sex. No film is looking at social issues."
According to him, this avoidance is not new. Films that tried to address purpose and responsibility struggled to find audiences. “Swades and Lakshya were made. They flopped. We suffer from a lack of history and sanskar."
One of the most influential voices in Indian cinema, he spoke about how the failure of 'Lakshya', which he wrote, deeply affected his creative choices. He questioned how meaningful cinema can survive without audience backing. “How can better socially relevant films be made if they don’t get the audience’s support?"
