Films with vulgarity get clearance, those reflecting reality face censorship hurdles: Javed Akthar
Mumbai (PTI): Veteran screenwriter-lyricist Javed Akhtar has expressed his disappointment that movies reflecting the reality of society face hurdles from regulatory bodies in India, while those rife with vulgarity seem to slip through the cracks.
Speaking at an event on Friday, Akhtar said it is a bad audience that makes a bad film successful.
"In this country, the fact is that vulgarity will still be passed by (the film regulatory bodies), they do not know that these are wrong values, a male chauvinistic view that is humiliating women and is insensitive. What will not be passed is something that shows the mirror to society," he said at the inaugural session of Anantrang mental health cultural festival.
Akhtar said films merely try to depict reality.
"A film is a window into society through which you peek, then close the window, but closing the window will not fix what is happening,” he cited.
Talking about the impact of hyper-masculinity portrayed in films on mental health, Akhtar said that the popularity of such films stems from societal approval.
"It is because of the mental health of men that such films (about hyper-masculinity) are being made. If the mental health of men becomes better, then such films won't be made, and even if they are made, they won't work (in theatres)," he said.
"For instance, people who are religious and whenever they face hurdles, they never blame god for it. Likewise, in show business, the audience is the god. It is a bad audience that makes a bad film successful," he said.
Films are a manifestation of what is happening in society, and their producers often run behind trends, and they make such movies only, he added.
Akhtar voiced his discontent about the proliferation of "vulgar" songs in cinema, and added that he has consistently rejected such offers as they don't align with his values.
"There was a time, especially in the 80s, when songs either had double or no meanings, but I would not do such films. I am not sad about the fact that people recorded such songs and put them in films, but I am sad that the songs became super hits. So, it is the audience that influences the film," he said.
"Like, the song, ‘Choli Ke Piche Kya Hai’, is something I have heard many parents say with a lot of pride that their eight-year-old daughter dances perfectly on this track. If these are the values of the society, what do you expect from the songs and films that will be made? So, the society is responsible, cinema is only a manifestation," Akhtar claimed.
Amid the rise of such content, Akhtar praised the recent film, "Saiyaara", for its soothing melodies and nostalgic charm. The romantic drama, directed by Mohit Suri, featured two newcomers, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda.
"A movie like this (Saiyaara) comes, and its music, there is a stillness in it and an old charm to it like earlier times. Today, music has become so frantic that the percussion overpowers the voice, and you can barely hear the words. So, if a movie comes out in that, which may not be perfect but provides you with a little shade because you are so tired of this ruthless sunlight, that you feel nice," he said.
To a query if listening to sad poetry or songs can make one more depressed, Akhtar replied, "Yes and no".
"It isn't good to disown sadness; otherwise, it will hit you somewhere else. Earlier, films had one or two sad songs, but now, such songs are not seen in our films because ‘Humare ache din aa gaye hai’. This kind of denial is very unhealthy. If you are sad, then you cry, and accept that sadness, denying it will distort your mind," he said on a lighter note.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Texas halts H-1B visas at state universities, agencies; to affect Indians
Houston (US) (PTI): Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered state agencies and public universities to immediately halt new H-1B visa petitions, tightening hiring rules at taxpayer-funded institutions, a step likely to impact Indian professionals.
The freeze will remain in effect through May 2027.
The directive issued on Tuesday said that the state agencies and public universities must stop filing new petitions unless they receive written approval from the Texas Workforce Commission.
The governor's order, in a red state that is home to thousands of H-1B visa holders, comes as the Trump administration has initiated steps to reshape the visa programme.
“In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa programme, and amid the federal government’s ongoing review of that programme to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions as outlined in this letter,” Abbot said.
Institutions must also report on H-1B usage, including numbers, job roles, countries of origin, and visa expiry dates, the letter said.
US President Donald Trump on September 19 last year signed a proclamation ‘Restriction on entry of certain non-immigrant workers’ that restricted the entry into the US of those workers whose H-1B petitions are not accompanied or supplemented by a payment of USD 1,00,000.
The H1-B visa fee of USD 1,00,000 would be applicable only to new applicants, i.e. all new H-1B visa petitions submitted after September 21, including those for the FY2026 lottery.
Indians make up an estimated 71 per cent of all approved H-1B applications in recent years, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), with China in the second spot. The major fields include technology, engineering, medicine, and research.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is the second-highest beneficiary with 5,505 approved H-1B visas in 2025, after Amazon (10,044 workers on H-1B visas), according to the USCIS. Other top beneficiaries include Microsoft (5,189), Meta (5,123), Apple (4,202), Google (4,181), Deloitte (2,353), Infosys (2,004), Wipro (1,523) and Tech Mahindra Americas (951).
Texas public universities employ hundreds of foreign faculty and researchers, many from India, across engineering, healthcare, and technology fields.
Date from Open Doors -- a comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education institutions in the US -- for 2022-2023 showed 2,70,000 students from India embarked on graduate and undergraduate degrees in US universities, accounting for 25 per cent of the international student population in the US and 1.5 per cent of the total student population.
Indian students infuse roughly USD 10 billion annually into universities and related businesses across the country through tuition and other expenses – while also creating around 93,000 jobs, according to the Open Doors data.
Analysts warn the freeze could slow recruitment of highly skilled professionals, affecting academic research and innovation.
Supporters say the directive protects local jobs, while critics caution it could weaken Texas’ competitiveness in higher education and research.
The order comes amid broader debate in the US over skilled immigration and state-level interventions in federal programmes.
H-1B visas allow US companies to hire technically-skilled professionals that are not easily available in America. Initially granted for three years, these can be extended for another three years.
In September 2025, Trump had also signed an executive order ‘The Gold Card’, aimed at setting up a new visa pathway for those committed to supporting the United States; with individuals who can pay USD 1 million to the US Treasury, or USD 2 million if a corporation is sponsoring them, to get access to expedited visa treatment and a path to a Green Card.
