Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
Bollywood

There Has To Be Basic Honesty: Javed Akhtar On PM Modi Biopic Credit Row

Darpan News Desk IANS, 05 Apr, 2019 10:39 PM

    Javed Akhtar says it was unfair on "PM Narendra Modi" producers part to rehash his old song and put his name in the credits on the film's poster when he hadn't even worked on the remake version.


    On March 22, Mr Akhtar took to Twitter to say that he had not written any songs for the Vivek Oberoi-starrer and was "shocked" to find his name on its poster.


    Mr Akhtar, in an interview, said the practice was against "basic honesty".


    "Nowadays, it has become a frequent practice that people buy rights of a song from an old film. They re-record it and use it. This is not fair," Mr Akhtar said.


    The veteran lyricist said the producer of the Modi biopic had picked up a song Ishwar Allah that he had done for Deepa Mehta's 1947: Earth and they re-recorded it after buying the rights from T-series.


    "They gave my name in the poster as the songwriter of this film. I was never the songwriter of this picture. Why give my name on the poster? If you want to thank or honour me, tell me why did you deprive A R Rahman (composer) from it? It is against the practice and tradition, there has to be basic honesty. They had no business to pretend that I am the songwriter of the film," he told news agency PTI.


    Asked if he would like to take the matter ahead, Mr Akhtar said, "I have made my point."


    The film, which was earlier slated to be released Friday, has been postponed till further notice, producer Sandip Ssingh said on Thursday.


    The writer-lyricist was talking on the sidelines of the annual event held of the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS), a recognised copyright royalty collection body.


    Mr Akhtar, who is the chairman of IPRS, distributed over Rs. 20 crore to its members at a function held here Thursday.


    IPRS distributed royalties to music composers and classical artistes such as Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia among others.


    Mr Akhtar is happy the IPRS has started benefitting classical music artistes, who epitomise the music tradition.


    "Generally, we tend to believe that royalty is only for mainstream Hindi commercial cinema music and maybe some popular ghazal singer or pop singer but we never think that classical music is played at so many places.


    "Like Shiv Kumar Sharma''s santoor or Hari Prasad Chaurasia''s flute are being played at public places but nobody has bothered to track that. For the first time today, we have given a sizeable amount of royalty to them," he added.

    MORE Bollywood ARTICLES

    Tamannaah, Malaika Turn Muses For Bobbi Brown

    Global make-up legend Bobbi Brown has picked Indian stars Tamannaah Bhatia and Malaika Arora as her muses for her maiden India tour this month.

    Tamannaah, Malaika Turn Muses For Bobbi Brown

    Vidya Balan Would Love To Spy On Big B

    Vidya Balan Would Love To Spy On Big B
    If "Bobby Jasoos" actress Vidya Balan had to turn a spy, she says she would love to investigate megastar Amitabh Bachchan.    

    Vidya Balan Would Love To Spy On Big B

    TV Feature To Mark Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Centenary

    A two-part television feature will commemorate the victims of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, marking a centenary since the April 13, 1919 incident which stirred the conscience of millions.

    TV Feature To Mark Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Centenary

    Director's Job Not An Extracurricular Activity: Shefali

    Television shows, short films, feature films, theatre and web series - the 'Satya' actress has dabbled in different mediums.    

    Director's Job Not An Extracurricular Activity: Shefali

    Shweta Tripathi 'Very Choosy' About Her Projects

    In the show titled "Laakhon Mein Ek", she will be seen portraying Dr. Shreya.

    Shweta Tripathi 'Very Choosy' About Her Projects

    I Don't Get Conventional Film Offers: Anshuman Jha

    I Don't Get Conventional Film Offers: Anshuman Jha
    Bollywood actor Anshuman Jha, who plays a pivotal role in "No Fathers in Kashmir", says though he keeps working in independent cinema

    I Don't Get Conventional Film Offers: Anshuman Jha