Renowned playwright, songwriter, and poet Javed Akhtar is noted for his candor. After commenting on the forthcoming US presidential elections, he lately became caught in a furious debate on social media. Many trolls responded to Akhtar’s post, which cleverly juxtaposed his odds of become US president to those of Joe Biden. Still, Akhtar did not hold back when answering the disparaging comments.
“I am a proud Indian citizen and till my last breath, I will remain so, but I have one common fact with Joe Biden,” Akhtar said on her Twitter. Our prospects of becoming the next USA president are exactly same. This playful remark set off a strong reaction from a user accusing Akhtar’s father of being a traitor actively helping Pakistan to come into being. The user added, “Your father was crucial in forming Pakistan in order to have a nation only for Muslims, then in the guise of a progressive writer he opted to remain in India. You are the son of Gaddar (traitor), who split our country based on religious beliefs.
Akhtar, who answered with a stinging censure, did not sit well with this charge. “It is difficult to decide whether you are totally ignorant or a complete idiot,” he said. My family has been active in the liberation fight from 1857 and visited Kala Pani and prisons when most likely your baap dadas, or grandfathers, were kissing the boots of the Angrez sarkar, British administration.
In another conversation, a user disparagingly mentioned Michelle Obama, to which Akhtar said, “It is quite, very irresponsible of your family that they still have not sent you to any mental institute. Man, you are unwell and definitely require assistance.
Javed Akhtar also corrected false knowledge on the background of his family. Ex banished to the Andaman Islands in 1859 for his participation in the 1857 insurrection, Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi, his great-great-grandfather, was a prominent independence warrior. Part of the Progressive Writers’ Movement, Akhtar’s father Jan Nisar Akhtar was a revered Bollywood musician and Urdu poet. Contrary to the troll’s assertions, Akhtar’s family has a long history of helping India to be free.
This episode emphasizes Akhtar’s relentless defense of his family’s legacy against unfounded accusations. His keen answers remind us of his strong pride in his background and his will to face lies with evidence.
