Javed Akhtar blasts Shekhar Kapur for ‘fear of intellectuals’ comment, says ‘cut this melodrama, go see a psychiatrist’

Writer Javed Akhtar has lashed out at filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, after the director wrote in a tweet that he has a ‘fear of intellectuals’. Akhtar suggested in his response that the filmmaker should seek psychiatric help.

On Saturday, Kapur had written in a tweet, “Started life as refugee of Partition. Parents gave everything to make a life for kids. Was always in fear of ‘intellectuals’. They made me feel insignificant. Small. Then suddenly embraced me after my films. I still fear them. Their embrace is like a bite of snake. Still a refugee.”

 

You introduce yourself as neither prejudiced by the past nor afraid of the future living in this moment and in the same breath you say you are a refugee of partition and still a refugee . One doesn’t need a magnifying glass to see the contradiction .

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) July 28, 2019

 

.who are these intellectuals who embraced you and you found that embrace like a snake’s bite ? Shyam Benegal , Adoor Gopal Krishna , Ram chandra Guha ? Really ? . Shekhar saheb you are not well . You need help . Come on , there is no shame in meeting a good psychiatrist .

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) July 28, 2019

 

What do you mean by still a refugee Does it mean that you feel like an outsider n not an Indian n you don’t feel that this is your motherland .If in India you are still a refugee where will you not feel like a refugee ,In Pakistan? Cut this melodrama you poor rich but lonely guy

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) July 28, 2019

Akhtar wrote back, “Who are these intellectuals who embraced you and you found that embrace like a snake’s bite? Shyam Benegal , Adoor Gopal Krishna , Ram Chandra Guha? Really? Shekhar saheb you are not well . You need help. Come on, there is no shame in meeting a good psychiatrist.”

He added, “What do you mean by still a refugee Does it mean that you feel like an outsider n not an Indian and you don’t feel that this is your motherland. If in India you are still a refugee where will you not feel like a refugee ,In Pakistan? Cut this melodrama you poor rich but lonely guy.”

He continued, “You introduce yourself as neither prejudiced by the past nor afraid of the future living in this moment and in the same breath you say you are a refugee of partition and still a refugee. One doesn’t need a magnifying glass to see the contradiction.”

The disagreement comes in the wake of a letter signed by 49 intellectuals, artists and professionals addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to take action against mob lynchings against minorities in the country. This was followed by a rebuttal by a separate faction of 62 eminent personalities including Kangana Ranaut and Prasoon Joshi, who claimed that this was a case of ‘selective outrage’.

Follow @htshowbiz for more