India, Aug. 21 -- With 1942: A Love Story returning to theatres today, lyricist Javed Akhtar has revisited what he believes is the growing discomfort among younger audiences with songs in Indian films. Akhtar, who wrote the lyrics for a few hits of the 1994 film, says Western cinema and music have influenced this shift, creating an "embarrassment" around a tradition that has long been part of Indian storytelling. "Ab jo log Western cinema se expose hue hain, unke andar ek embarrassment hai. Nayi generation sawal karti hai ki ye gaane ka kya chakkar hai?" he says.

Akhtar, however, argues that songs should not be dismissed simply because they are unrealistic. "Film mein gaane hero ga raha hai, party mein khade ho kar gaa raha hai, toh badi...