Javed Akhtar is accused by Main Azaad Hoon’s director Tinnu Anand of plagiarising Hollywood blockbusters. Amitabh Bachchan stars in the film.
One of the most admired and significant individuals in the Indian entertainment sector is Javed Akhtar. He is praised for his profound poetry, enduring song lyrics, and stirring scripts. Tinnu Anand, the filmmaker, has since made the astonishing admission that he ripped from two Hollywood films for Amitabh Bachchan’s Main Azaad Hoon.
Amitabh Bachchan encountered difficulties in his political career in the late 1980s as a result of his role in the Bofors scandal, even though he was later exonerated of all charges. But his reputation had taken a hit. During this time, acclaimed screenwriter Javed Akhtar suggested that Amitabh Bachchan’s reputation be repaired by producing a movie that would convey a constructive message.
This pivotal period was recounted by director Tinnu Anand, who had previously worked with Amitabh Bachchan on Shahenshah, and it was revealed that it served as the idea for their 1989 movie “Main Azaad Hoon.” Anand claims that Amitabh Bachchan immediately consented to the premise once Javed Akhtar proposed it, but on the condition that Tinnu would helm the movie.
Then, during a conversation, Tinnu Anand acknowledged that they had actually believed they were creating a unique idea that had originated with Javed Akhtar at the time. They later discovered, nevertheless, that it was reminiscent of the 1941 film “Meet John Doe” and the 1976 Hollywood blockbuster “Network.”‘ He remarked, “We honestly believed we were working on a novel concept by Javed.
The director continued, “Opposition broadcast a film on Doordarshan, Meet John Doe, on the day the film was released in theatres. It was Network more so than Meet John Doe, in Main Azaad Hoon. The plot of Network and this movie were identical, yet Javed forbade us from seeing it. Even if it wasn’t an original story, he wanted to demonstrate that he had created it, the author continued.
Javed Akhtar, according to Tinnu Anand, “very let down” him. “I wish I could have seen Network. I wanted to compare our writing to Meet John Doe’s and see the movie. Although the original was better, it was still vital to see our writing.
The filmmaker recalled that they then questioned Javed about why he kept his script-copying activity a secret. “We subsequently questioned Javed Saab, ‘Why did you hide?'” ‘I didn’t want you all to be inspired by,’ he continued. Amitabh would have carried out the same action if he had observed it. I was against that. He recalled, “That was a lie.
Shabana Azmi and Anupam Kher were featured in Main Azaad Hoon as well. The movie did poorly at the box office.
