Donald Trump’s USP is that he makes meanness acceptable: Javed Akhtar

In conversation, lyricist and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar shares his thoughts on the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States of America while also lauding the demonetisation, calling it a positive step forward.

A leader like Trump connects with our meanness. He tells us don’t feel guilty there are many as vicious as you are. We love him for it,” tweeted lyricist-scriptwriter Javed Akhtar soon after Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States of America.

Lyricist and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar things rupee demonetisation is a “positive step”. (Yogen Shah/HT Photo)

During Akhtar’s recent visit to the Capital, he explained what he meant in the tweet, saying, “I believe that there are many people who have a lot of prejudices, biases, anger and venom within them. They think that perhaps it’s not socially acceptable, so they keep hiding them. And someday somebody (like Trump) comes and articulates all that filth loud and clear.” Akhtar adds, “The kind of shocking statements Trump has made about ethnic minorities in USA, about Latinos, Muslims and Mexicans, and so on... It is very clear that it was a feeling among a lot of Americans and Trump has made it socially acceptable to say those things.”

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It’s not just the recent US presidential elections that Akhtar is vocal about. Mention demonetisation, and Akhtar is quick to reply, “It’s a positive step.” Speaking about the hardships being faced by the common man, he says, “It’s a speed breaker, not a road block. Morarji (Desai) also did this in 1978... Rs 1000, Rs 5000 and Rs 10000 currency notes were demonetised. But after a little while, things became normal.”