Muslim Front is a stunt: Javed Akhtar

Javed Akhtar is a busy man these days. He stays holed up in a hotel room for days, working his magic on yet another movie script. On a short break in the Capital with wife Shabana Azmi, India’ most loved lyricist spoke his mind to Javed M Ansari on contemporary political events.

“Perhaps, they are more comfortable dealing with the likes of LK Advani. They find it difficult to handle a loyal Muslim from India,” he said, when asked why he thinks he was denied a visa by Pakistani authorities.

In fact, he believes the reaction is similar to that of the right wing forces to nationalist Muslims. “There are two kinds of people who find it difficult to deal with the likes of me. The fundamentalists in Pakistan and the Sangh Parivar in India” he says. According to him, nationalist Muslims negate the very basis for Pakistan besides negating the Sangh Parivar’s propaganda that Muslims are not loyal to India.

He finds it difficult to understand why authorities across the border should hold the fact that he wrote the lyrics for Border and some other films, that are construed as anti-Pakistan in that country, against him. “What is conveniently forgotten is that I also wrote the songs for Veer Zara and the last song in Border which is all about peace and ending to hostilities between the two countries,” says Javed Akhtar.

He is equally vehement in his condemnation of the attempt by the Imam of the Delhi’s Jama Masjid and his followers to cobble up a Muslim front. “This is nothing but a political stunt. The real motive is to help the BJP and the Sangh Parivar in UP. This kind of thing will only lead to a polarisation on communal lines, which will ultimately benefit the BJP,” he says.

Behind the ready wit and pleasant demeanor lies a sharp  political mind, and he is convinced that the Muslim Front will find very little support within the community. “Ever since the partition, Muslims have never supported communal leaders or parties. Unfortunately, this fact remains unnoticed,” he says.