‘Society Didn’t Understand Their Talent’: Javed Akhtar On Sridevi And Madhuri Dixit
He emphasised that society plays a crucial role in shaping a star’s image.
Javed Akhtar mentioned that Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit were just as talented as legendary actresses like Meena Kumari, Nargis and Waheeda Rehman.
Javed Akhtar is in the spotlight for his documentary series Angry Young Man. Known for his iconic scriptwriting partnership with Salim Khan, which produced numerous blockbuster films, Javed recently conversed with his daughter Zoya Akhtar, discussing art, literature and cinema. During this discussion, he expressed that society has often underestimated the talents of actresses like Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit. He emphasised that society plays a crucial role in shaping a star’s image, a blend of morality and aspiration.
Speaking at an event organised by the Indian Express, Javed Akhtar highlighted how actresses like Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit were not fully appreciated by society, attributing this to a lack of understanding. He compared them to legendary actresses like Meena Kumari, Nargis and Waheeda Rehman, who were celebrated for their stellar performances in films such as Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam, Mother India and Guide.
Javed Akhtar mentioned that Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit were just as talented as legendary actresses like Meena Kumari, Nargis and Waheeda Rehman, but they did not receive similarly defining roles. He attributed this to the societal mindset of that time, which struggled to recognise and embrace contemporary or strong female characters. While the traditional image of the silent woman was becoming outdated, society had yet to form a clear understanding of who would take her place. He further said that society is still struggling to find the right representation of today’s women in films. He praised the films of his daughter Zoya Akhtar, who has tried to bring contemporary women to the fore.
The recently released docuseries Angry Young Man documents the career and journey of Hindi cinema’s most successful screenwriting duo, Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. The documentary features an impressive list of talking heads from Hrithik Roshan, Yash, Rajkumar Hirani and Aamir Khan.
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