Javed Akhtar on Pakistani actors wishing death upon him after choosing ‘hell over Pakistan' remark: ‘If their prayers had effect, the country wouldn't be in…'

Indian Express

2 days ago

Last month, noted lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar, who is often targeted for his views on patriotism and religion, says that if there comes a time he has to choose between Pakistan and hell, he would prefer to go to hell. At the event, the lyricist — who identifies himself as an atheist — said extremists from both India and Pakistan shower abuses on him on a daily basis.
'If you're on one side, the abuses come only from one side. But if you're on neither side, you get abuses from both sides. So I get abuses like, 'Kafir, jehnumi, mardood, tu toh jehnum mein hi jaega (You'll go to hell).' And from the other side, I get, 'Jihadi, Pakistan chala ja' (Go to Pakistan, traitor). People can call me a jihadi too? They have quite an imagination,' said Akhtar.
In the interview with The Lallantop, Akhtar reasoned that if all the fundamentalists of India want him to go to either Pakistan or hell, he'd choose hell. 'Pakistan felt really bad by that. But I said you don't issue me a visa anyway,' said Akhtar. His last appearance in Pakistan was two years ago when he attended an event to commemorate legendary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz.
Pakistani actors Imran Abbas, Mishi Khan, and Asim Mehmood criticised Akhtar's 'hell over Pakistan' remark, with Mehmood going to the extent of wishing death upon him. 'If their prayers had that effect, then they wouldn't be in the state they're in today,' responded Akhtar, laughing.
He reasoned that India being in a crisis suits Pakistan's agenda. 'Your stability is in the claim that you can point to India's state and say why you formed Pakistan in the first place. But if a Javed Akhtar earns respect and money, then it doesn't suit you. How would Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, and Salman Khan being such big stars suit them either? Their existence is proving your basic argument wrong,' said Akhtar.
He argued that Pakistani actors would be wishing today if they'd have stayed back in India, they would've prospered like Indian actors did. He pointed out the example of Pakistani actor Bushra Ansari, who recently advised Akhtar to stay as quiet on Pakistan as veteran Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah. She also claimed that Javed would not even get a house on rent in India.
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'She's a very fine actor! If she was in India, she'd be a global name by now. I've seen a couple of her plays, so I know how good she is. This sadness of not making it like Indian actors did has stayed with them,' said Akhtar. Last month, Akhtar said in an interview with PTI that this is not the time to even think about whether Pakistani artists should be allowed to work in India.