Javed Akhtar Takes a Stand Against Bollywood's Remake Culture
Veteran lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar has openly criticized what he terms 'intellectual and creative bankruptcy' in the Hindi film industry. This strong statement comes after he refused to rewrite his iconic songs for the upcoming sequel Border 2.
Why Akhtar Said No to Border 2
The makers of Border 2, including T-Series and JP Films, approached Akhtar to write additional lyrics for the film's songs. They wanted him to work on tracks like 'Ghar Kab Aaoge' and 'Jaate Hue Lamho'. These songs are rehashed versions of his memorable compositions from the original 1997 war drama Border.
Akhtar firmly declined the offer. He expressed his disapproval of the growing trend where filmmakers add new lyrics to old popular songs instead of creating fresh content.
'They did ask me to write for the film, but I refused,' Akhtar told India Today. 'I really feel this is a kind of intellectual and creative bankruptcy. You have an old song, which did well, and you want to put it out again by adding something? Make new songs or else accept that you cannot do the same level of work.'
The lyricist posed a fundamental question about artistic integrity. 'Whatever is bygone, let that be. What is the need to recreate it?' he asked.
Drawing Inspiration from Haqeeqat
Akhtar recalled the 1964 war classic Haqeeqat while explaining his stance. That film, starring Dharmendra, served as a major reference point when he wrote lyrics for the original Border.
'And its songs were not ordinary ones,' Akhtar noted. 'Be it 'Kar Chale Hum Fida' or 'Main Yeh Sochkar Uske Dar Se Utha Tha'. Those were such brilliant songs, but we didn't use them. We wrote new ones, we made absolutely different songs, and people liked them too.'
He emphasized the importance of originality in filmmaking. 'You are making a movie again, so create new songs. Why are you depending on the past? You have accepted that we can't do it. We will live with the past glory,' Akhtar added.
The songs of Haqeeqat were composed by the legendary Madan Mohan, with lyrics penned by renowned poet Kaifi Azmi. Interestingly, Kaifi Azmi is the father of Akhtar's wife, actress Shabana Azmi.
Creating New Nostalgia
When asked if using Border songs in the sequel was an attempt to stir nostalgia among audiences, Akhtar offered a simple yet powerful response. 'You create new nostalgia then,' he said.
This philosophy contrasts with his own past work. Akhtar has written additional lyrics for songs in his son Farhan Akhtar's 2006 hit Don, which was a remake of the 1978 classic. However, in that case, he was also a co-screenwriter, and the original lyrics were written by other poets.
Border 2's Musical Team
Border 2's most popular track 'Ghar Kab Aaoge' originally featured music by Anu Malik. For the sequel, Mithoon joins as an additional music composer. While original singers Roopkumar Rathod and Sonu Nigam return for the rehashed version, new voices like Arijit Singh, Vishal Mishra, and Diljit Dosanjh have also been added.
The film is co-produced by JP Dutta and his daughter Nidhi Dutta's JP Films along with Bhushan Kumar's T-Series. Anurag Singh, known for Kesari, directs the project.
Star-Studded Cast and Release Date
Sunny Deol returns from the original Border cast for the sequel. He is joined by new entrants including Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. Border 2 is scheduled to hit cinemas on January 23, promising to bring a fresh chapter to the beloved war drama franchise.
Akhtar's strong stance highlights an ongoing debate in Bollywood about creativity versus commercial safety. His refusal to participate in what he sees as 'creative bankruptcy' serves as a reminder of the importance of original artistic expression in Indian cinema.
