Home / Arts and Entertainment / Veteran Lyricist Javed Akhtar Embraces Diversity, Dismisses Criticism
Veteran Lyricist Javed Akhtar Embraces Diversity, Dismisses Criticism
10 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Javed Akhtar responds to singer Lucky Ali's criticism of him
- Akhtar emphasizes the need for tolerance, especially on sensitive topics
- Akhtar discusses his views on writing for cinema and the purity of language
In November 2025, renowned Indian poet, lyricist, and screenwriter Javed Akhtar reflected on the significance of tolerance in an exclusive interview. This came in response to singer Lucky Ali's recent comments, where he had referred to Akhtar as "never original" in reference to an old video of the lyricist discussing Hindu-Muslim dynamics.
Akhtar, who was in Delhi to hold a session on songwriting, stated that he was happy to know Ali had an opinion, even though he did not agree with it. The celebrated lyricist dismissed Ali's sarcastic apology, saying the singer should decide what he meant. Akhtar emphasized that a person should be able to live with opinions different from their own, as that is where the need for tolerance arises.
The veteran writer also spoke about his views on writing for cinema, his journey in Bollywood, and the evolution of language in Hindi films. Akhtar's session was organized by the Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS) in collaboration with MusiConnect India and supported by the Ministry of Culture.
