Javed Akhtar On the Beauty and Tolerance Of Hinduism

The protests over Padmaavat would be a good time to revisit Javed Akhtar’s wise words.

Javed Akhtar tells it like it is.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

Bollywood’s popular wordsmith, Javed Akhtar, turns a year older on 17 January. The celebrated lyricist and scriptwriter is as good with words while he is addressing a crowd as he is while putting pen to paper for an applause worthy dialogue in cinema halls.

In the backdrop of the Padmaavat controversy, the violence by gau rakshaks and engineered religious polarisation that’s driving a wedge between communities today, it would be a good time for a throwback to a few wise words that Akhtar spoke in 2015.

Speaking at a media conclave with filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, the writer was reacting to the protests against Hirani’s film PK and the extreme reactions to Aamir Khan’s comment on intolerance. Akhtar begins by saying:

“I’m an atheist. I don’t believe in the existence of God.”

Javed Akhtar

The writer then goes on to defend PK and also cites a popular comedy scene from Sholay where Dharmendra tries to fool Hema Malini by mimicking the voice of lord Shiva. It may not be possible to write that scene today, Akhtar comments.

“The beauty of Hindu religion is that it allows you to say, hear and believe in what you wish to. This is the culture due to which we have democracy in this country.”

“I am surprised when people ask the question - “You have taken so much liberty with Hinduism in <i>PK</i>, could you have taken the liberty with Muslims?” So do you want to become like Muslims? Instead try to make them like yourself. Don’t try and become like them.”

“Who are you trying to compete with? Are you trying to compete with societies where there is complete intolerance, like the neighbouring country? If the narrow-mindedness&nbsp; of semitic religions comes into Hinduism everything will be lost. Are you trying to compete with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda? India is a great country and we are different from those people who have no tolerance, we should not get corrupted like them.”

Javed Akhtar

Watch Javed Akhtar’s talk below: