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Zoya Akhtar confirms working on crime-mafia film; recalls Salim-Javed’s style of writing and how they didn't resort to ‘cheap tricks’
Ahead of Angry Young Men release, Zoya Akhtar confirmed working on a crime mafia film. She also recalled how the writings of Salim-Javed influenced her work.
Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar has confirmed working on a crime-mafia film. She also talked about her father Javed Akhtar, and his former screenwriting partner, Salim Khan's style of writing. The Archies director is currently busy with the promotions of the docu-drama series, Angry Young Men. During a recent interview, the renowned filmmaker also revealed how her father’s work has influenced her work.
In a recent chat with Indian Express, Zoya Akhtar was queried about the reports suggesting her plans to make a gangster film after The Archies that would reflect the writing of Salim-Javed. In her response, the filmmaker confirmed the same, stating that she has been working on the script.
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!"
In addition to this, the filmmaker also explained how she has been inspired by Salim-Javed’s work. The filmmaker made her directorial debut with Luck By Chance in 2009 which starred her brother Farhan Akhtar. Elucidating her point, Zoya revealed that the characters of legendary writers weren’t "black and white" and had obscurity, including their hero.
Upon being asked if there were specific learnings from the works of Salim-Javed, the filmmaker highlighted how their characters had a certain shade of gray. Not everything fits in quite well, which also translates in her work.
Admitting her characters aren’t completely black or white, she said, “The fact that they (Salim-Javed) didn’t resort to cheap tricks, they weren’t vulgar ever. That has influenced our work. There was also respect for the ensemble. Even if it is a one-scene character, it should have a certain charm and resonance. Those things have come from them.”
Akhtar further added that Salim-Javed’s world was male-oriented, but even within that, they portrayed women with agency. She further pointed out how those characters would respond to stronger women. Even in the male-led stories, “none of the women were props” she said, highlighting how they all had something to do in the film. “They all had jobs, even if it wasn’t explored, there was an identity in them,” she said.
During the conversation, she went on to recall how her brother Farhan Akhtar noticed Parveen Babi’s character in Deewaar was of a night worker. However, there was poise in that relationship and the way they were treated. According to Zoya, the legendary writers never decided to do this, but it "came originally" to them.
Furthermore, Angry Young Men director Namrata Rao revealed that their upcoming docu-drama series explores the gender dynamics in Salim Javed’s writing. She added that both of them today are honest in admitting having messed up with the depiction of women as well.
She disclosed that they have gone into the nitty-gritty of it in the series, but there were things the legendary writers were unaware of. They have this self-reflection as they confess to might have written the character of Geeta differently. Explaining her point, she shared how Akhtar pointed out that when Geeta goes to Seeta’s house and aspires to stitch and cook like Seeta, he would never write such a thing today.
"Why would Geeta want to do that? She is great the way she is. He said, ‘tab hume pata he nahi tha (we didn’t know it then)", but I would never do that now,” she shared.
Angry Young Men will start streaming on Amazon Prime Video from August 20.
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