Javed Akhtar opens up on Shekhar Kapur's claim over Mr India

Anil Kapoor in a still from Mr India. Image sourced from mid-day archives

Questioning Mr India director Shekhar Kapur's claim over the rights of the classic film, senior poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar on Friday said the idea of the movie wasn't Kapur's. Akhtar's comments came in response to a tweet by Kapur which read, "If you are remaking a feature film, based on a director's very successful work, does the Director have no creative rights over what he/she created?"

Replying to the director's tweet, the poet outlined his contributions to the making of the film and said, "It wasn't you idea."

"Shekhar saheb the story the situations the scenes the characters the dialogue the lyrics even the title none of these were yours. I gave it all to you. Yes you execute it very well but how can your claim on the film be more than mine. It wasn't your idea. It wasn't your dream," tweeted Akhtar.

This comes against the backdrop of 'Sultan' director Ali Abbas Zafar's announcement of making a trilogy on the iconic film Mr. India. The original film was one of the first sci-fi films in Indian cinema and featured actor Anil Kapoor in the lead. Earlier on February 22, Anil Kapoor's daughter and actor Sonam Kapoor took to social media to hit out at Zafar for announcing the remake of Mr. India without the consultation of her father and director Shekhar Kapur.

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