Actors sab credit le jaate hain: Heeramandi songwriter Turaz

Yashika Mathur (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 17, 2024)

Even as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s web series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar continues to receive equal parts praise and brickbats on the internet, A M Turaz, who worked as a songwriter on the show, feels that not everyone involved with the project has equally received the recognition.

“A film belongs to the director and the writer. Similarly, for a song, it’s the composer and songwriter who deserve the credit. But actors sab credit le jaate hain ki ‘Humari film, humara gaana’,” shares the 49-year-old, who has also collaborated with Bhansali for films such as Guzaarish (2010), Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Padmaavat (2018).

For the songwriter, the matter extends beyond personal recognition. “If the creators and writers don’t get the respect that others are getting, how will they create good content in the future?” questions Turaz, adding, “Art is about confidence. Confidence tab aata hai, jab aapko respect milti hai, jo aap deserve karte hain.”

Having said that, the songwriter has no complaints about Bhansali. “Main jitna deserve karta hun, wo (Bhansali) mujhe usse kahin zyada respect dete hain. Recently, he mentioned me in one of his interviews too. He refers to me as his favourite writer, and that doesn’t make him smaller. Instead, it makes him a bigger person,” Turaz shares and adds, “On the other hand, actors are the face of a film. So when they are sitting on a platform for promotions, why can’t they credit a writer?”