JA: I would back exceptional talent

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Posted: 18 years ago

INTERVIEW | Javed Akhtar

I would back exceptional talent

Piyush Roy
Javed Akhtar on Indian Idol, Don 2 and RGV's Sholay

You are the only lyricist to be part of a singing talent hunt show. Most of the time, the judging is left to singers and music directors. What's the extra something that a lyricist brings?
To write a song for a situation, you need a sense of music because you not only write to a song's metre but also to the nuances of the tune — where to have a mukri, where you need an open sounding word, where to pen a closed or heavier word, where to repeat a word to match the notes and so on. If you are a professional songwriter in the Indian film industry, you have to have a keen ear for music. That apart, a lyricist sits through music sittings, rehearsals and recordings and interacts closely with singers and music directors. All this makes him as competent at judging singers as anybody else.

A common complaint against young contestants is that they don't get the diction right.
It's sad and has perhaps something to do with our education system. People are not very fluent in their own mother tongue, let alone Hindi. But most singers, though not all, have a fairly good command over at least the words they are singing. Maybe they can't speak Hindi fluently but they train, rehearse and get familiarised with the words of a song by the time of the final rendition. They do make mistakes, but not too often.

Unlike Fame Gurukul, where you were a judge in the elimination phase, you have been associated with Indian Idol 3 right from the auditions. Do you have any personal favourites and do you intend to taken anyone under your wing?
At this stage, it will be too early to take names because all the 28 boys and girls who have been selected are extremely talented and it will be a tough fight. I do have my hopes pinned on certain candidates, but as a judge I don't think it's right for me to name them. As regards recommending a singer, I am not into obliging anyone but I would back an exceptional talent because it's a win-win situation for both the singer and the industry. If that person gets a break, the industry too gains a great voice.

The message that Anu Malik gets across through his voluble comments, you seem to be getting across through a mere glance.
Thank you.

What's the flip side of being a judge?
When somebody with very little capability but with great hopes comes to me, I feel very awkward to break that illusion. On one hand, you are irritated by this person's high opinions, while on the other, you feel bad. Is it right to break their illusion and make them unhappy for the rest of their lives is one question I grapple with. In hindsight, I think that's the right thing to do though it makes me very uncomfortable.

It is often seen that during disagreements on the show, Anu Malik always has the final say on a candidate's selection. As a judge, are you getting the treatment and respect that's due to your seniority?
I don't think I should think in these terms. If I start expecting that because I am the seniormost, I should be treated in a certain way, I think I will become a boring person and get on the nerves of the other judges. We share jokes and sometimes we disagree vehemently but that doesn't leave behind any bad taste. Once an episode is over, we are as friendly and warm as ever.

What will it take to make the next Indian Idol?
The next Indian Idol need not necessarily be a boy. A 17-year-old girl has won the American Idol this year, so things are changing and we might finally see a woman win a talent hunt show. A great voice, a knowledge of sur-taal, good diction, personality, style and presentation skills will all come into play.

Jodhaa Akbar is the next period film you are writing for after Umrao Jaan. What are the challenges involved in writing songs for such a film?
You have to understand the ethos of any story whether it's set in the modern time or the past. Not all modern films are the same. For instance, you can feel the difference when you hear the songs of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehnaa and Dil Chahta Hai. I try to understand the wavelength of a film, its temperament and ethos, the intellectual and social level of its characters, and then try to bring the right vocabulary to the songs. It will be too early to talk about the words and tunes of Jodhaa Akbar. So far, we have done three songs and the fourth will be recorded in a day or two. (A.R.) Rahman is doing a great job.

The release of Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay is finally round the corner. Are you happy to be mentioned in the story credits of the new film? Are you looking forward to watching it?
I am totally indifferent to RGV's Sholay and have other things to feel happy about. I haven't decided whether to watch it or not. The Salim-Javed team wrote Sholay and that's a fact that can't be overturned. But we have nothing to do with somebody doing a take-off on the film. It's just another film. Since Sholay has inspired so many films, jingles, advertisements, jokes and even cartoons, why not a film?

Will you be writing the proposed sequel to Farhan Akhtar's Don?
That's not my call and I think Farhan is toying with the idea. But whenever he is ready with it, I am sure I will be writing the lyrics.

When do we see you writing a script again?
I have just completed a script and am about to finish a couple more. I am also coming out with another collection of my poetry this year.

Have there been any recent films the scripts of which have impressed you?
I quite liked Life In A… Metro and Gangster.

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