Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Need Javed Akhtar back as screenwriter: Mani Ratnam

Ratnam’s remarks come days after Animal makers on X slammed Akhtar for criticizing the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer.

Need Javed Akhtar back as screenwriter: Mani Ratnam

At a time when movies have become all about box office collections, the Indian cinema needs Javed Akhtar back as a screenwriter, filmmaker Mani Ratnam said on Wednesday.

Ratnam's remarks come days after Animal makers on X slammed Akhtar for criticising the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer.


Akhtar is a rock-solid man who has set the writing in the Indian film industry to a "structured high standard", Ratnam, 67, said.

"Sir, I have a request, I think we need you (Akhtar) back writing screenplay. It will help us a lot, especially in these times when we just talk about numbers. I think we need Javed Sahab," he said at the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2023 event here.

Seventy-nine-year-old Akhtar, who is also a lyricist, presented the Indian Of The Year Award (Entertainment) to Ratnam, who was accompanied by his actor-filmmaker wife Suhasini Ratnam.

Akhtar, who along with former writing partner Salim Khan, is known for penning films such as Zanjeer, Deewar, and Mr India, recently said that the commercial success of films with problematic scenes was a "dangerous" trend.

While he didn't mention the name of Animal, the screenwriter cited the example of the film's controversial bootlicking scene featuring Ranbir and Triptii Dimri, who play Ranvijay and Zoya.

Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Animal was one of the most divisive films of 2023 for its poor portrayal of women, misogyny, and graphic violence. The film, however, has earned more than Rs 900 crore at the ticket window.

In response to Akhtar's remarks, the Animal team on X tagged him and wrote: "Writer of your calibre cannot understand the betrayal of a lover (Between Zoya & Ranvijay) then all your art form is big FALSE..."

At the event, Ratnam also quipped that he will direct a film in Hindi when Akhtar writes a script for him.

The lyricist said the filmmaker is relevant even after all these years.

"World is a conveyor belt. People come and go. The film industry is also like a conveyor belt, but it moves a bit faster. Very few people turn this conveyor belt into something solid... an immovable stage. They stand under the limelight as others are coming and going," Akhtar said.

"Success stays with those who remain like someone who draws respect and admiration with their work... someone who has brought something that was not there," he said.

Akhtar said the film industry in Mumbai was "complacent" and "convinced of our superiority" till Ratnam arrived.

"Suddenly, a director came from Tamil Nadu and slapped us hard on our face with the kind of work we had never seen. It was unprecedented. We were sure of our superiority and he made us feel like illiterate children," he added.

Ratnam is next set to work with Kamal Haasan in Thug Life.

The director said it took him almost four decades to reunite with his Nayakan star as he didn't have the right script for Haasan.

Later, Ratnam presented the Youth Icon Award to music composer Anirudh Ravichander, known for films such as Jawan, Vikram, Maari, and Vikram Vedha.

The filmmaker, who is credited with giving a break to AR Rahman with 1992's Roja, called Ravichander a "musical genius".

More For You

Saif Ali Khan’s ‘Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins’ Poster Unveiled

Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, and the ensemble cast shine in the poster of Jewel Thief: The Heist

Instagram/netflix_in

Saif Ali Khan’s latest Netflix film ‘Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins’ drops an intriguing new poster

Netflix released a new poster for Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins, and it’s already got fans talking. The image shows Saif Ali Khan with a sharp, focused gaze, his eye cleverly framed by the silhouette of a diamond, hinting at the high-stakes heist at the heart of the film.

Slated for release on April 25, the movie follows a skilled thief hired by a crime boss to steal the legendary African Red Sun diamond. But as expected, things don’t go as planned. The teaser, dropped earlier this year, showed us a tense partnership between Saif and Jaideep Ahlawat, with twists, betrayals, and plenty of action in store.

Keep ReadingShow less
Empuraan Storm: Success, Censorship Debate & Political Attacks

Prithviraj Sukumaran and Mohanlal at a press meet for L2: Empuraan

Instagram/empuraanmovie

L2: Empuraan - A film that shattered records and sparked a political storm

Few films manage to be both a record-breaking success and a lightning rod for controversy at the same time. But L2: Empuraan, the much-hyped sequel to Lucifer, has done exactly that. The Prithviraj Sukumaran directorial, starring Mohanlal, has not only rewritten and shattered box office history but also sparked a nationwide debate on censorship, political narratives, and artistic freedom.

On one hand, it’s the fastest Malayalam film to gross £5.1 million (₹50 crore) in Kerala, the first Malayalam film to cross £10.2 million (₹100 crore) overseas, and a £20.4 million (₹200 crore) club entrant within just five days. On the other hand, it has been accused of pushing a political agenda, leading to 2m 8s, 24 last-minute cuts, a legal battle, and a full-blown culture war.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hayley Atwell Reveals Tom Cruise’s Advice on Social Anxiety

Atwell explained that Cruise’s advice helped her focus on identifying the sources of her anxiety

Getty

Mission Impossible star Hayley Atwell reveals Tom Cruise's advice to overcome social anxiety

Hayley Atwell has opened up about the helpful advice Tom Cruise gave her on how to cope with social anxiety, a topic that resonates with many, including those working in the intense world of Hollywood. Atwell, known for her role as Peggy Carter in Marvel films and for starring alongside Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023), revealed how Cruise's wisdom has helped her deal with nervousness in large social gatherings, something she’s not immune to despite her prominent career.

As Atwell prepares to reprise her role in what is expected to be the last chapter of the Mission: Impossible series, The Final Reckoning, due for release in May, her reflections on social anxiety offer an insightful perspective on how even the most successful stars experience self-doubt. She recently discussed this on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, explaining how she often battles the feelings that come with being in a room full of people.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sam Mendes Unveils Cast for Beatles Biopic Four-Film Event in 2028

The Beatles - A Four-Film Cinematic Event, directed by Sam Mendes

Instagram/Sonypictures

Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan & more: Sam Mendes’ Beatles Biopics' cast revealed for the epic four-film event in 2028

Hollywood is about to take us on a journey like never before through the lives of ‘The Beatles,’ one member at a time! Director Sam Mendes, known for films like 1917 and Skyfall, has revealed the actors who’ll step into the shoes of John, Paul, George, and Ringo in four separate biopics, all hitting theatres in April 2028.

Harris Dickinson will play John Lennon, Paul Mescal takes on Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan becomes Ringo Starr, and Joseph Quinn transforms into George Harrison. The announcement came at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, where Mendes and the cast surprised the crowd. Instead of cramming the band’s epic story into one movie or stretching it into a series, Mendes chose a different approach: four interconnected films, each diving deep into a different Beatle’s life.

Keep ReadingShow less