Naseeruddin Shah does not like successful people: Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar criticises Naseeruddin Shah for his comments that Rajesh Khanna was responsible for bringing mediocrity in Bollywood in the 1970s.
Lyricist-scriptwriter Javed Akhtar is the latest from the Hindi film industry to criticise Naseeruddin Shah for his comments that Rajesh Khanna was responsible for bringing "mediocrity" in Bollywood in the 1970s.
"It's simple - Naseeruddin Shah does not like successful people. I have never heard him praise any successful person. He criticises Dilip Kumar; he criticises Amitabh Bachchan," Javed Akhtar, who was here to participate in the first-ever Bangalore Poetry Festival organised by Atta Galatta, said.
Naseeruddin Shah's comments had stirred a hornet's nest with Javed Akhtar's former scriptwriting partner Salim Khan attributing the veteran actor's remarks to "frustration and bitterness".
Rajesh Khanna's daughter Twinkle Khanna, the wife of superstar Akshay Kumar, also had said that Naseeruddin Shah should not have attacked a man who is dead and cannot defend himself.
In an interview, Naseeruddin Shah had said that 70s was the time when mediocrity came in Hindi films and also when Rajesh Khanna joined the industry, who according to him was a poor actor.
Khanna, who was Bollywood's first superstar, died of cancer in July 2012 at the age of 69. He acted in films like Baharon Ke Sapne, Aradhana, Haathi Mere Saathi, Amar Prem and Aap Ki Kasam among others.
Late Rajesh Khanna had won three Filmfare Best Actor Awards and was nominated for the same 14 times. He was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.
Naseeruddin Shah had reportedly even apologised about the matter to both Twinkle Khanna and Akshay Kumar.
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