Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has defended the right of filmmakers to express their views through cinema, pushing back against criticism that labels certain films as propaganda.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday after receiving a special award from a city-based jewellery brand, Javed Akhtar addressed the ongoing debate surrounding films like Dhurandhar.
He said he does not subscribe to the idea of categorising films as propaganda simply because their narratives may not align with everyone’s perspective.
“I don’t understand what is meant by propaganda films,” he remarked, adding that he personally enjoyed Dhurandhar and found it to be a strong piece of work, particularly its first instalment.
Javed Akhtar argued that every story inherently reflects a certain viewpoint, and that alone should not invite criticism.
He maintained that filmmakers have the right to present their interpretation of truth and ideas, regardless of how audiences choose to perceive them.
According to him, even fictional or fantasy-based stories carry underlying ideologies, making it natural for films to convey specific messages. He also noted that while many films aim to deliver moral or thematic insights, audiences often interpret those messages differently.
The film Dhurandhar features a star-studded cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera and Danish Pandor.
The two-part series revolves around a covert counter-terrorism operation. The first film follows an undercover Indian intelligence agent infiltrating criminal and political networks in Karachi to dismantle a terror plot. Its sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, continues the narrative, focusing on efforts to track those responsible for the 26/11 attacks while addressing wider regional threats.
