Javed Akhtar: Indian Rock Music Is Superficial

One learns not to make sweeping, judgmental statements. Usually the hard way. It is unlikely, however, that Javed Akhtar’s criticism of Indian rock music in DNA will raise much protest (even though it should). The latest film in which his son stars is pretty much a hit and its music is sold out at music stores.

In the DNA story Akhtar summed up his appreciation of Indian rock music saying

In India, rock music is a very shallow and superficial genre. They dress and style themselves like American rockers but the words and lyrics are archaic and obsolete. The words in an average Indi-Rock number revert to trite filmy clichés like balma, baliye  and mahiya

In the same interview he also admits

I had never done a rock album before and I’m not familiar with the genre.

After making said statement about his familiarity with the genre, he discusses his knowledge about the “lingo of rock”

In ‘Rock On’ I’ve experimented with  words and thoughts. For example, songs about dreamers have been done to death. I’ve used the parallel of ‘Sinbad The Sailor’ to bring out the theme of derring-do. Then I was asked to write a song about an individual’s losses in a week. Writing about a laundry bill, denim jacket, chandi ka ring… you can’t use angoothee for ring… This is the lingo of rock

Now I really have to watch this film.