'Extremely upsetting': Farhan on mother Honey Irani's missing 'DDLJ' credit
What's the story
Farhan Akhtar recently opened up about the emotional turmoil his mother, veteran writer Honey Irani, experienced after not being credited for her work in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ). Despite Aditya Chopra being credited as the sole writer of the iconic film, industry insiders have long claimed that Irani played a significant role in writing it. This lack of recognition deeply hurt her and led to her decision to never work with Yash Chopra or Chopra again.
Personal impact
Akhtar's family ties with Chopras added to the pain
Speaking to Mid-Day, Akhtar said the issue had a deep emotional impact on his family, given their close relationship with the Chopras. He said, "It was extremely upsetting because they were people I'd known my whole life." "It was heart-breaking on many levels. I grew up with Aditya and Uday Chopra, and it was a difficult time for me as a child." The fallout affected family friendships and widened a gap that took years to mend.
Resolution
'You have to find it within yourself to move on'
Despite the initial turmoil, Akhtar said that with time, he and the families involved have found closure. He said, "Things happen between people who love each other. At some point you need to forgive and forget." "So I'm really glad that's happened because they are important people in all our lives. It was unfortunate what happened but the silver lining is that it's behind us now and everyone's moved on graciously."
Disputed credit
Irani's contribution to 'DDLJ' and Chopra's response
In Anupama Chopra's book Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge: A Modern Classic, Irani spoke about her involvement in DDLJ. She revealed that she had several early-morning meetings with Chopra and even traveled to Switzerland with the team during the shoot. While she accepted that Chopra did "quite a lot of work" on the writing, she insisted her contribution deserved recognition. However, Chopra maintained that Irani's contribution was minimal.
Dialogue dispute
'DDLJ' dialogue credit controversy: Javed Siddiqui's discontent
Irani wasn't the only writer unhappy with their credit in DDLJ. Javed Siddiqui, who was credited as a co-writer for the film's dialogues, also voiced his displeasure. In Anupama's book, he called the credit an "injustice," saying he had written most of the film's dialogue and that Chopra had made only minor changes.