Veteran lyricist and screenplay writer Javed Akhtar, known for his outspoken views on social media, recently responded to a troll on X (formerly known as Twitter) who called him a “son of Gaddar.” Akhtar, a proud Indian citizen, quipped, “I am a proud Indian citizen and till my last breath I will remain so but I have one common fact with Joe Biden. Both of us have an exactly equal chance of becoming the next president of the USA.”
The troll accused Akhtar’s father of contributing to the creation of Pakistan and labelled him a traitor. The troll wrote, “Your father was instrumental in making Pakistan have a nation just for Muslims, then in the guise of progressive writer he chose to remain in India. You are a son of Gaddar who divided our nation on the lines of religion. Now u say anything but this is the truth.”
In a sharp rebuttal, Akhtar highlighted his family’s involvement in India’s freedom movement. He wrote, “It is difficult to decide whether you are ignorant or a complete idiot. From 1857 my family has been involved with the freedom movement and has gone to jails and Kala Pani when most probably your baap-dadas were licking the boots of Angrez sarkar.”
Javed Akhtar’s father, Jan Nisar Akhtar, was a renowned lyricist and poet, as well as a key member of the Progressive Writers’ Movement in pre-Partition British India. His mother, Safiya Siraj-ul Haq, was also a writer.
In a recent interview with Arbaaz Khan, Shabana Azmi praised her husband’s willpower when he decided to quit heavy drinking. She recounted, “He knew that if I go on like this, I won’t live for long and I won’t be able to do my work creatively… He told me quietly, ‘Make me some breakfast’. After that, he said, ‘I am not going to drink anymore.’ From that day, he has not touched alcohol.”
Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani are parents to Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar. Akhtar is acclaimed for co-writing scripts for iconic films such as “Deewaar,” “Sholay,” “Trishul,” and “Don” with Salim Khan.
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