Javed Akhtar reveals Madhuri and Sridevi weren't given big roles; says society was not clear

Javed Akhtar shines brightly in Bollywood, thanks to his significant contributions. He's renowned for his straightforward and outspoken nature. In a recent discussion, the lyricist-screenwriter mentioned how, despite their talent, Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit never landed that 'one big role.'

The iconic Javed Akhtar and his daughter Zoya Akhtar shared their thoughts on cinema and storytelling. In a recent chat with The Indian Express, the veteran lyricist-screenwriter discussed the depiction of female characters and society's perception of women. He emphasized that exceptional writing can flourish when society has a clear grasp of modern morality and ambitions.

“The writer is a part of society, breathing the same air. This is how great roles come about,” he said. Akhtar elaborated on his stance by referencing Meena Kumari in Saheb, Biwi Aur Ghulam, Nargis in Mother India, and Waheeda Rehman in Guide. He highlighted that the problem arises when morality lacks clarity.

“Look at these two girls - Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit. They were not less talented than any so-called heroine of the past. But did they get one big role? Not because anybody was their enemy. But at that point, society was not clear about the contemporary woman. 'Main chup rahungi(I’ll stay quite)' is out, but who is in? Nobody knows," he further added.

The experienced lyricist emphasized that we are currently navigating in the dark, searching for a modern woman. As a proud father, he shared that his daughter Zoya Akhtar, seated beside him, had asked him not to compliment her. She mentioned that the director of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara feels 'embarrassed' when her father praises her.

Nonetheless, Akhtar firmly expressed his conviction, affirming that it is solely in Zoya's films that he has encountered a 'contemporary woman'. "How close is the contemporary hero with his peers, his family, etc… All this is not clear in contemporary society. Writers live in this society. There are no great characters, and hence, there are no great stars,” he remarked.

In a noteworthy event last month during the We Are Yuvaa’s show Be A Man, Yaar, Javed delved into the representation of modern Indian women in Cinema. He firmly stated his view, mentioning that individuals often "exaggerate" when they "pretend" to be something they're not. To illustrate his perspective, he cited the example of the film Jab Tak Hai Jaan starring Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Anushka Sharma.

The seasoned lyricist and screenplay writer highlighted a dialogue from the movie where one of the heroines says, "Mein duniya mein jitni nationalities hain, har nationality ke ek admi ke ladke ke saath sone ke baad shaadi karungi!" He questioned the need for her to strive so hard to prove herself. He also inquired whether she is not "empowered", "modern", "cool", and "forward-thinking".

The 79-year-old mentioned that we could agree with her. She doesn’t have to work hard enough for that. There are a lot of nationalities in the world, and one doesn’t have to get into that. He questioned the implications of this dialogue from Yash Chopra starrer. According to him, they wanted to fake that this was an empowered girl. They are not very clear about its concept, so it was overstated.

The new docu-drama series, Angry Young Men, all about the legendary iconic writer duo Salim-Javed. It's out now on Amazon Prime Video, celebrating their amazing legacy.