Veteran Indian poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar has caused a global furor amongst Pakistani stars as well as netizens after making a controversial statement recently in which he stated that he would go to hell before he visited Pakistan.
People across Pakistan have roundly criticized the statement Javed Akhtar made during a press conference in India, especially since he previously visited the country and participated in various cultural activities, including the Faiz Festival.
Responding to questions about abuses he gets from both Indian and Pakistani viewers, Akhtar made this statement: “Both sides abuse me. One side calls me an infidel and threatens to send me to hell, and the other calls me a jihadi and asks me to return to Pakistan. If I had a choice between going to hell or going to Pakistan, I would prefer going to hell.”
Backlash in Pakistani showbiz
Pakistani showbiz figures have responded with backlash, as celebrities and actors criticized the lyricist for being hypocritical and disrespectful.
The leading actress Mishi Khan went on to social media, posting on Instagram, “Javed Akhtar has chosen the right place for himself. No one here will invite him again. And he can also take along with him to hell those people who used to sit at his feet and chant his praises.”
Cross-border actor Imran Abbas also weighed in with a critical response. “Whether or not he makes a decision for hell, he will find himself there in any case,” Abbas tweeted.
Veteran actress Hina Khawaja Bayat offered a more subtle remark: “Wherever you go, you must prepare yourself for it, no?”
Actor Asim Mehmood offered a blistering prayer regarding Akhtar’s assertion, stating, “May his earnest wish become a reality soon.”
Sharmila Farooqui, former MA and PPP leader, also denounced it as “deeply disrespectful.”
Javed Akhtar has visited Pakistan many times in the past, even to the Faiz Festival in Lahore where he was received and welcomed with great respect. But as relations between India and Pakistan intensified in recent times, the poet has become more hard-hitting in his remarks, and many now view such as politically motivated or opportunistic.
