Up for the challenge

Date :30-Jul-2019

Veteran lyricist-screenwriter Javed Akhtar is of the view that if there is someone who can write a film on renowned poet Sahir Ludhianvi, it is none other than himself. “If there is someone who can write a film on him (Ludhianvi), that is me. No one knows him better than me. And the others who knew him aren’t alive,” he said at an event here. Talking about his bond with the late poet, Akhtar said, “He was my uncle and father’s friend and he used to meet me with respect and love. I have spent a great time with him.” However, Akhtar did not mention any actor’s name when asked who would be best suitable to reprise Ludhianvi’s life on the big screen. “Any good actor would do,” he mentioned.

Reportedly, a film based on Ludhianvi’s life is in the works with Sanjay Leela Bhansali as its producer. Abhishek Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu are reportedly starring in it. As the death anniversary of legendary singer Mohammad Rafi is inching closer, Akhtar, while addressing the press at the event, hailed him as the “first playback singer” of the world.

“Rafi sir had one quality which didn’t earn the appreciation it should have. I believe that he was the world’s first playback singer,” Akhtar said. He continued, “There have been a lot of singers but you can’t name one male singer who changed his voice according to the actor. He was the first.” The 74-year-old marked his presence at the ‘Golden Carpet for Golden Era’ event organised in Mumbai to celebrate Bollywood icons who have left their mark in the celluloid world. Among others present at the event were Shabana Azmi, Jaya Prada, and Moushumi Chatterjee, to name a few.