KARACHI – Renowned Bollywood lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar has lashed out at the makers of the upcoming film Border 2, citing a “lack of creativity” and an over-reliance on past successes. In a recent interview with Indian media, Akhtar expressed his disappointment over Bollywood’s growing trend of remaking old classics instead of producing original content. He confirmed that he has officially declined the offer to write lyrics for the sequel to the 1997 war film.
Javed Akhtar termed the trend of recycling old songs as “creative bankruptcy,” arguing that if a film is new, its music and content should also be fresh. Having written the iconic lyrics for the original Border (1997), Akhtar stated that those songs achieved legendary status and do not need to be “reimagined” or tinkered with. The veteran writer advised filmmakers to either create high-quality original work or admit that they can no longer match the standards set in the past. “I told them I won’t do it,” Akhtar said, emphasizing that what belongs to the past should remain untouched.
Critics observe that Bollywood’s recent obsession with nationalistic and anti-Pakistan themes—often packaged as sequels to 90s hits—suggests a decline in original storytelling. Javed Akhtar’s refusal to join the project highlights a growing divide within the Indian film industry regarding the quality and intent of modern cinema. Border 2 is the sequel to the 1997 film Border, which was heavily criticized in Pakistan for its biased portrayal of historical events.
