Javed Akhtar Moves Towards Legal Action Over Edited Video Circulating Online

Writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar is preparing to take legal action after a doctored video falsely claimed to show him converting to Islam began circulating online. The clip, which shows Akhtar wearing a cap and offering prayers, has been categorically dismissed as fake.

Akhtar, who has repeatedly described himself as an atheist, said the video misrepresents both his personal beliefs and his public identity. He stated that the attempt to portray him as embracing a religion he does not follow crosses a serious line and damages his reputation.

Speaking strongly about the incident, Javed Akhtar questioned the intent behind such fabrications. "Who does all this? Yeh log kaun hai? They must be taught a lesson," he said. Emphasising that faith is deeply personal, Akhtar added that religious belief is a private matter between an individual and God, and that imposing a fabricated narrative on someone who does not subscribe to religion is unacceptable.

According to Akhtar, the visual elements in the video were deliberately chosen to mislead viewers and create the false impression of a change in faith. He described the act as a calculated attempt to distort his long-held views on religion, which he has articulated openly for decades.

The veteran lyricist said he no longer believes such actions should be ignored. Allowing misinformation to pass unchecked, he noted, only emboldens those responsible to repeat and escalate their behaviour. He made it clear that he intends to pursue legal remedies to ensure accountability and prevent similar misuse in the future.

This episode follows a recent public controversy in which Javed Akhtar, along with actor Shatrughan Sinha, criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over an incident involving a woman's hijab being pulled in public. Akhtar had then called for an unconditional apology, underscoring his consistent stance on personal dignity and freedom of belief.

In the present case, Akhtar said the issue goes beyond misinformation and enters the realm of personal privacy and ethical responsibility. He plans to initiate legal proceedings to identify those behind the fake video and hold them accountable under the law, asserting that false claims about religious identity cannot be allowed to circulate without consequences.