Lyricist-scriptwriter Javed Akhtar accepts but does not agree with singer Lucky Ali’s recent comments about him, he said in an interview.
“Now, I must take Lucky Ali's opinion with a pinch of salt. I should accept it. Although I don't agree with it. But anyway, I'm happy to know that he has opinions. That's wonderful," he said during an interview with news magazine India Today.
The controversy erupted after an old video of Akhtar urging Hindus ‘not to become like Muslims’ went viral on social media.
The clip, shared on X, shows Akhtar speaking about freedom of speech and democracy in contemporary India. In his remarks, he referred to a scene from the 1975 film Sholay. “In Sholay, there was a scene where Dharmendra hides behind Shiv ji's murti and speaks, and Hema Malini (thinks) Shiv ji is talking to her. Is it possible to have a scene like that today? No, I will not write a scene (like this today). Were there no Hindus in 1975 (when Sholay released)? Were there no dharmic people? There were,” Akhtar says in the clip.
“As a matter of fact, I'm on record, I'm not saying it right here. Raju Hirani and I were in Pune in front of a big audience and I said 'Don't become like Muslims. Make them like yourself. You are becoming like Muslims'. It's a tragedy,” the veteran screenwriter added.
Responding to the clip on X, Lucky Ali wrote, “Don't become like Javed Akhtar, never original and ugly as f***.”
He later clarified that his comments were directed at Akhtar’s “arrogance”. “What I meant was that arrogance is ugly.... it was a mistaken communique' on my part.... monsters may have feelings too and I apologise if I hurt anyone’s monstrosity,” he posted on X.
During his conversation with India Today, Akhtar responded to Ali’s apology, underlining the need for greater tolerance when sensitive issues like religious matters are in question.
"Let him decide what he meant and what he wanted. If you are tolerant, it's good. If you are intolerant in certain matters, particularly those which are sensitive, like religious matters, then it's not good. You have to be a tolerant person. You should... I mean, if you want to have one opinion, and you want your opinion to be heard, then you should be able to take other people's opinions you may not agree with,” Akhtar said.
The 80-year-old lyricist is currently working on the soundtrack of Rajkumar Santoshi’s Lahore 1947.