Javed Akhtar has a history of spewing hate on Pakistan, and honestly, we get it. Given the history of the government you live under, it’s the only way to save your throat. But when does this hate turn into obsession? When it’s the only thing that can keep him relevant.
Yes, the Indian screenwriter and lyricist, Javed Akhtar, is again seen throwing petty remarks at Pakistan in a video recently circulating on social media. What now? Well, according to the lyricist, he would rather go to hell than go to Pakistan (completely unprovoked statement).
“People from both sides abuse me,” he said at the launch of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s new book in Mumbai on Saturday. “One calls me a kaafir, saying I will go to hell. The other calls me a jihadi, asking me to go to Pakistan. So, if I only have a choice of going either to hell or to Pakistan, I would rather like to go to hell.”
This statement faced a lot of dismay from Pakistani citizens, especially keeping in mind Pakistan’s history of warmly hosting Akhtar at various cultural events.
Pakistan’s Unreciprocated Hospitality
Pakistan has a long tradition of hosting Indian intellectuals, artists, and performers with grace and generosity.
This is exactly why irony is staggering. This isn’t just any public figure spewing venom from a safe distance. This is the same Javed Akhtar who was welcomed in Lahore at the Faiz Festival in 2023, celebrated for his artistry and cheered by crowds of Pakistani fans. He was given so much respect that our most beloved celebrities were seen paying homage to him and treating him with everything they had. His past appearances at literary festivals and cultural events in Pakistan were always met with packed halls, glowing praise and reverence for his contributions to poetry and film. Yet today, the same man dismisses that country in the most undignified way possible.
How can one reconcile such warmth with such venom?
The Smug Comfort of Indian Nationalism
It’s no secret that India’s socio-political environment has shifted dramatically over the last decade. Nationalist fervour, often bordering on jingoism, dominates public discourse. In such an environment, comments like Akhtar’s are not only tolerated; they are applauded.
One can’t help but feel that Akhtar’s statement was designed not for introspection, but for applause. It plays neatly into the hands of the Indian right-wing narrative, which vilifies Pakistan as the eternal other.
But for someone who once prided himself on being a rationalist, it’s disheartening to see Akhtar bend to the lowest common denominator of populist sentiment. Is he afraid of being branded anti-national? Or has he (like many others) succumbed to the easy, intoxicating high of bashing Pakistan for brownie points back home?
Artists are Cultural Bridges
Artists, poets and thinkers are bridges between people and cultures. They rise above the borders drawn by politics and ideology. Javed Akhtar once had the moral authority to do that. However, by equating Pakistan with “hell,” he hasn’t just burned a bridge but has also set fire to the very ideals of cultural empathy he seemed to be championing for about a decade.
The worst part? The timing of the statement. Just last week, India and Pakistan were on the brink of war and now a public figure like Javed Akhtar associates “hell” with Pakistan? This echoes the rhetoric of the Modi regime. By making such a statement, Javed Akhtar is proving that he has lent his voice to the narratives that fuel division and conflict. Why? Well, maybe he isn’t as patriotic as he is making it out to be and couldn’t care less about violence and war.
It is people like Javed Akhtar who make it seem to us that any attempt of goodwill was just a waste of our time. Seems like Pakistan surely deserved better guests. Guests that deserving of the hospitality they receive from the nation.