As a dedicated follower of Zoya Akhtar’s work, I am thrilled to see her delving into a crime mafia film that reflects the legendary writing duo Salim-Javed. Having grown up with their stories and being influenced by them, it is fascinating to witness how their gray characters have become a staple in Zoya’s work as well.
Zoya Akhtar, a well-known filmmaker, has confirmed that she’s working on a crime mafia movie. In a recent conversation, she shared insights about her father, Javed Akhtar, and his longtime collaborator in screenwriting, Salim Khan, discussing their unique writing styles. At present, The Archies director is immersed in the promotion of the docu-drama series titled Angry Young Men. During a recent interview, Zoya also disclosed how her father’s work has significantly impacted their creative process.
During a recent conversation with the Indian Express, Zoya Akhtar was asked about rumors that she’s planning to create a gangster movie following The Archies, one that mirrors the writing style of Salim-Javed. In her reply, the director affirmed these reports, sharing that she has indeed been developing the screenplay for such a project.
She said, “I am working on the crime-mafia film! I am working on the script right now. So fingers crossed, that it comes to something, some heft!”
Beyond sharing my excitement, let me also tell you about an intriguing tidbit I picked up from our conversation – the filmmaker opened up about being inspired by the work of Salim-Javed. You see, I was fortunate enough to make my directorial debut with Luck By Chance in 2009, a film that featured none other than my brother Farhan Akhtar. What’s truly fascinating is that Zoya, during our discussion, emphasized how the characters created by these legendary writers weren’t just one-dimensional – they harbored shades of ambiguity, even their heroes.
When asked about lessons learned from the works of Salim-Javed, this filmmaker emphasized that their characters often possessed a nuanced, gray quality. This ambiguity is also reflected in her own creations.
Speaking about Salim-Javed’s influence, she noted, “They didn’t rely on cheap gimmicks or vulgarity in their work. Instead, they respected the ensemble, ensuring every character, regardless of its significance, had a unique charm and impact. These principles have significantly shaped our own creative process.”
Akhtar continued by stating that while Salim-Javed’s stories were predominantly male-focused, they nevertheless portrayed women with autonomy. She also noted how these female characters would interact with strong female counterparts. In male-dominated narratives, she emphasized, “not one woman was merely a prop.” Instead, each character had a purpose within the film, as she explained, “They all had roles, even if their jobs or identities weren’t fully developed, there was still a sense of self in them.”
During our chat, she shared an interesting detail: her brother, Farhan Akhtar, pointed out that Parveen Babi’s character in Deewaar was a night worker. Yet, there was a sense of elegance and respect in their portrayal. As Zoya explained, this wasn’t something the legendary writers deliberately planned, but rather it “spontaneously” occurred to them.
Additionally, film director Namrata Rao shared details about their upcoming docudrama series which delves into the gender dynamics within the works of Salim Javed. Notably, she mentioned that both creators now acknowledge and admit to misrepresenting women in their past work.
She revealed that in the series, they delved deep into the specifics, but there were aspects the esteemed writers hadn’t known before. They admitted to perhaps having portrayed Geeta’s character differently if writing it now. To clarify her thoughts, she cited Akhtar’s opinion that today he wouldn’t depict Geeta aspiring to sew and cook like Seeta, as he finds such a portrayal inappropriate for modern writing.
Reflecting on my own experiences, I can understand why Geeta might have considered doing something different back then. However, from what I see now, she is truly exceptional just as she is. In retrospect, it seems that her motivations or circumstances at the time were not fully understood by others. As for myself, I’ve learned through my own journey that change can be necessary and growth-inducing, but ultimately, we are all at our best when we embrace who we truly are.
Angry Young Men will start streaming on Amazon Prime Video from Aug 20.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-08-18 10:08