28 august 2024 : The last time Prasoon Joshi picked his pen to write lyrics was for the film Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi in 2019. Ask why the writer-poet has stayed away from Bollywood for half a decade, and he shares, “I had accepted the responsibility of the Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) at a time when there were many challenges. My integrity and honesty demanded that I maintained a certain distance from work that is to be certified so that I remain unbiased. That led me to restrain my pen in the last few years. It was a phase, and I can see myself gradually moving on to what I love, which is writing and creation.”
Having penned songs and scripts for films, Joshi recently forayed into a new realm, play writing. He has written a musical, Rajadhiraaj: Love. Life. Leela, which he says was “challenging”. He shares: “I had written many plays in college life, but this experience enriched the soul.” Ask what encouraged him to explore the format, and the lyricist adds, “I always believe in venturing into intricate, underexplored subjects. So, be it a Taare Zameen Par (2007) with a subject like learning difficulties of children or Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), a sports biopic, varied creative formats – poetry ads, songs, film scripts, musicals, and theatre — appeal to me.”
The Padma Shri recipient adds that striking a balance between his role as the Censor Board head and a writer isn’t easy. “CBFC came with its responsibilities and challenges. I accepted the role at a time when criticism about the certification body was all around. I tried to create as much positive change, be it digitising or smoothening processes, to striking a balance between artistic freedom and societal sensibilities. To do all that sans unnecessary confrontation did take a toll. Also, to see fellow artistes’ work through a certification lens was and is a delicate job,” he says.
However, the lyricist is “now gradually exploring newer genres”. He adds, “I am working on some more musicals, web series and a book.”
Given the trend of recreation of old songs, a lot of lyricists have expressed their discontent with OG lyricists not getting their due. Does he resonate with that sentiment? “In the creative world, there will always be something established and something yet to be seen. Classics always have a place in the heart, but we need fresh work too,” says Joshi, adding, “We need fresh, high-calibre work in film songs. Mindlessly catering to the lowest common denominator or being insecure about crediting high-calibre writing and restraining from giving it its due, isn’t right. The audience, too, needs to demand better-quality writing.”
Talking about the musical, he adds, “As a script, dialogue and lyrics writer, I had a challenge and a unique opportunity to connect with the hearts of the audience. The sheer scale of this musical, the fact that it has around 20 original songs that are sung live and the music got me excited.”
