Javed Akhtar Recalls Pain Of Sindhi Hindus, Slams Pakistan's Bushra Ansari: 'You Threw Them Out'

News18

4 days ago

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Akhtar went on to recall an incident from about 25 years ago, when his wife and actress Shabana Azmi was denied a house in Mumbai simply because they were Muslims.
Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has responded strongly to Pakistani actress Bushra Ansari's recent remark, where she claimed that 'no one in Mumbai rents homes to Muslims." Speaking in an interview with Lallantop, Akhtar not only dismissed her suggestion but also shared a historical perspective to underline the lingering trauma of Partition among Indian Sindhi Hindus.
'Who is she to tell me when to talk and when not to?" Akhtar asked, reacting to Ansari's earlier advice that he should 'stay quiet like Naseeruddin Shah." He firmly added, 'Who gave you this right and why do you expect me to take your advice?"
Lallantop wasn't ready for this!Javed Akhtar explains why they dont rent out their houses to muslims.. pic.twitter.com/jWUDdFQHKv — Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) May 30, 2025
Akhtar went on to recall an incident from about 25 years ago, when his wife and actress Shabana Azmi was denied a house in Mumbai simply because they were Muslims. While such discrimination is unfortunate, Akhtar pointed out that there's a deeper emotional context that often goes unacknowledged.
He explained, 'The owner refused to sell the flat because his parents were from Sindh in Pakistan and were forced to flee. They were thrown out. Their land, property, social respect, profession, everything was taken from them. They arrived in India as refugees."
He spoke about how many Sindhi Hindus who fled Pakistan post-Partition had to rebuild their lives from scratch. 'These same Sindhis, poor Sindhis, used to sell clothes on the streets, sell chhole. Through their hard work, they built a position for themselves. But what happened to them? That bitterness still lives within them," he said.
'Anyone with a wound that big and deep, will react the way the owner reacted," he explained. He then pointedly said, 'If he didn't give that house, it was because of you, because you threw him out."
He continued, 'Imagine if someone told me, within 24 hours, pack up and leave Mumbai. Where would I go? Where do I even belong?" He detailed how painful it would be to lose his home, status, money, and recognition, and then be reduced to a refugee waiting in line for food.
'That's exactly what happened to the man you're blaming for not giving the house," he said, concluding, 'You're blaming me? Look within your own home."
First Published:
May 31, 2025, 02:27 IST