Prominent powerful producers and not just the vocal Mukesh Bhatt are up in arms against Javed Akhtar for fighting for copyright amendement in favour of lyricists and singers. Significantly in the last two years ever since he became vocal about intellectual property Javed Akhtar has been doing no lyrics or dialogues for any of the big banners in Bollywood except his son Farhan Akhtar's banner.
Yashraj Films, Dharma Productions and other prestigious production houses have been discreetly staying away from Javed Akhtar. In a shocking admission poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar who has been fighting a long and lone battle for a change in copyright rules for lyricists and music directors in the Indian film industry, says he was rendered nearly jobless because of his fight for intellectual property.
Says Javed, "It is true the big producers didn't want to work with me. I was without work for the past few years. But now that the amendment is a reality I don't mind a life-time ban. Producers can stop giving me work completely. But royalty to unhein denee hi padegi. This amendment in the Rajya Sabha is like an elephant passing through the eye of a needle."
Javed Akhtar is certain that within a month the amendment will be a reality. "Hopefully this week it will be passed in the Lok Sabha as well, and then it's just a matter of time."Adds Javed, "Lataji's approval of the amendment is for me the final seal."Reacting to Mukesh Bhatt's barb about Javed being in Kapil Sibal's durbar just as Tansen used to be in Akbar's durbar, Javed quipped, "There's bound to be resentment. I am prepared for it."