Javed needs no research to write on Yash Chopra

Nov 7, 2012 IANS

Mumbai, Nov 7 (IANS) Writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar, who is set to come back with his TV show "Classic Legends Season 2", says he would never need to do any research work for any documentary on late filmmaker Yash Chopra.

"I won't have to do any research to make a documentary on Yash Chopra because I have worked with him a lot - 'Deewar', 'Trishul', 'Kala Patthar', 'Mashaal', and 'Silsila'. In fact, the first time I wrote a song was for his film. Then there was 'Veer Zaara'. These were his directorials and I also wrote for his productions," the 67-year-old told reporters here Tuesday at a press conference.

Akhtar was here to announce the new season of "Classic Legends", a show where he talks about the lives of legendary Bollywood personalities.

He praised Chopra's works, saying everything in his films was well placed.

"Yash Chopra was an exceptional man. There are a lot of things about him that people have not yet understood and which has not even come out. In so many years, you cannot even once say that a line, a scene, a character or a situation was bad," Akhtar said.

"Beyond the success or failure of his films, his films had a certain class and sophistication. It was never like he did things just for the heck of it," he added.

Akhtar asserts that Yash Chopra's films were fine literary works as well.

"But at the same time he was also well acquainted with the ground realities of a common man, his music had a certain 'Indianness', which is no longer seen. His understanding of language was amazing, his dialogues and songs had a literary flavour, a strength," he said.

The new season of "Classic Legends" will go on air Nov 18 on Zee Classic. It will come at 7:30 pm.