'Inheritance cannot be called nepotism, it's not possible in Bollywood'

Picture Courtesy: Official Instagram Account/Javed Akhtar

After almost everyone in the Hindi film industry, the next one to talk about nepotism is the veteran writer and lyricist, Javed Akhtar. He says it's not possible for it to exist in the Hindi film industry and also states the reason why he thinks so.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, when asked about it, Akhtar said, "Inheritance cannot be called nepotism". He further adds, "I think people are confusing inheritance with nepotism. In film industry, nepotism is not possible because ultimately, the person who is buying the ticket at the box office is the voter and that cannot be rigged. May be somebody born in a film family has a foot in the door, but that's about all."

He also stated his take on the drugs in the Hindi film industry and this is what he said, "As far as the drugs are concerned, it is the malice of the society. I have only heard and I have not seen any drug with my own eyes. But I have heard the young people tend to use drugs, but that is not just in film industry, it is the current malice of the society. That should be looked into. And I don't know what is illegal and what is legal."

About the issue of favouritism and groupism that happens in Bollywood, he opined, "You see Shankar-Jaikishan, Naushad and Shakeel, etc. Yes, there are people like PR Chopra who had Sahir as his songwriter. Yash Chopra also worked with Sahir for so long. It is a level of comfort. When you work with each other, you develop a sense of understanding and your communication is perfectly honed."

Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar are regarded as one of the most iconic pair of writers in Hindi Cinema. They united in 1971 and wrote the film Andaz and went on to pen some iconic films like Zanjeer, Deewar, Sholay, Don, and Mr. India, which was their last film together.

Akhtar also penned the critically acclaimed and commercially successful film, Meri Jung, a drama directed by Subhash Ghai and starring Anil Kapoor, Amrish Puri, Nutan, and Meenakshi Seshadri that came out in 1985. He has also been a giant lyricist and written some iconic songs like Ek Do Teen, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, and more recently, in films like Lakshya, Rock On!, and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

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Also Read: Javed Akhtar Wins Richard Dawkins Award 2020; Proud Daughter Zoya Akhtar Shares A Post

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