Shah Rukh Khan says, 'Javed Akhtar has contributed to Indian cinema more than many who claim to do so. He has also contributed hugely to my success because of the songs that he's written for me, and the thoughts that we've shared. I miss not having worked with an actor like Sanjeev Kumar or Balraj Sahni or Madhubala. I miss not being around when Raj Kapoor or K Asif or Guru Dutt walked in the studio. But I must say that I am blessed to have worked with Javed Akhtar. 'A R Rahman says, 'As a lyricist, I believe Javed Akhtar uses the song perfectly in the narrative. He has a vast vocabulary and yet a discreet use of words. He is a fantastic conversationalist and hugely adept at expressing himself. When recording a song, he'll know immediately which words are working and which words need changing. Take for example, his song "Chanda re Chanda", it's so simple and yet so sweet. 'Asha Bhonsle says, 'We have had many great lyricists in the past like Sahir, Shakeel Badayuni, Majrooh Sultanpuri and I never thought that in recent times we'd have a great lyricist like Javed Akhtar.'
This book is centred around an engaging and lively conversation on the Hindi/Urdu film song between the renowned poet and lyricist, Javed Akhtar and documentary film director and author Nasreen Munni Kabir. One of the first on the subject, the book also includes a selection of sixty songs written by Javed Akhtar for the many hugely successful films to which he has contributed. These songs are a reminder of the excellence of his work and for those unfamiliar with Hindi/Urdu, English translations are also provided. It is an established fact that the Indian film song enjoys an enormous impact, and has always been a vital part of the national culture. For the reader, it is a rare privilege to discover the thinking that went behind a song that can be heard in a billion homes. This book will interest and appeal to Hindi film and music buffs within India and outside.
- ISBN10 0195687124
- ISBN13 9780195687125
- Publish Date 9 November 2006 (first published 1 April 2005)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 21 June 2010
- Publish Country IN
- Imprint OUP India
- Format Paperback
- Pages 272
- Language English