Javed Akhtar: “People no longer want to pause, think, analyse or sit with an idea”
Vogue India: Even the way we yearn has changed now. Is that why song lyrics don’t feel the same anymore?
Javed Akhtar: It has not happened in isolation; don’t blame the writer for it. When the tune and tempo get fast, the lyrics don’t register. Today, words have become less important because the marketing team has decided that slow music won’t ‘trend’. They say music preferences have changed, that old music is no longer in currency, but then they take those same songs, edit the mukhras and remix them with some inferiorly written antaras. There was a time when writers had more space. Today, other forces dictate what music gets made. And yet, songs that are decades old still endure, while many recent ones have a short shelf life.
Vogue India: Where does your conviction to hold unpopular opinions come from?
Javed Akhtar: The echo chambers created by the internet have made most people afraid to do something for the first time. Once someone else does it, they’re fine to follow in their footsteps. People no longer want to pause, think, analyse or sit with an idea. They are living happily, so why would they bother to think about this universe or the vastness of nature? For them, it is a waste of time. But meaningful creation requires time, discomfort and reflection. Perhaps that is why I have never hesitated to question dominant voices and widely accepted ideologies, especially when there is a gap between what is preached and what is practised. Also, how are my opinions unpopular when several people agree with me?
Vogue India: Conceded. Is there a person, place or ritual that provides kindling for your mind’s fire?
Javed Akhtar: It varies. Sometimes, it is a social issue that refuses to leave my mind, sometimes a person I have encountered, a story I have heard or a fleeting incident. At times, something as simple as good weather can stir a thought or a line. I do not follow a fixed ritual. I do not have tantrums. I can write in a room full of people, even at a party, even in dim light. The only thing I need is a plain sheet of paper without lines. When words, thoughts, scenes and lines knock, you have to welcome them in.
