Is it right time for India to engage with Pakistan? Here's what Javed Akhtar says

Lyricist Javed Akhtar has said that people in power should take a call on restarting engagement between India and Pakistan.

Akhtar, who is in the news after visiting Pakistan for a literary event, was asked in a TV interview whether India and Pakistan should begin the engagement. "I don't have that kind of calibre"(to respond to this query)," NDTV quoted him as saying.

"People who are in power, who are holding that position, understand what is happening, what is the situation how to go about it. Pakistan Army, Pakistani people, Pakistani establishment are not on the same page," he added.

India and Pakistan's relationship hit a new low following the Pulwama attack and BJP-government's decision to do away with Article 370 further strained ties.

The interviewer then asked whether a middle ground is required for talks for which the writer said, "People who run the country know better. My information is little. We in India have very limited information about Pak people. Same is the case with them".

The controversial lyricist was in Pakistan to attend an event related to Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The three-day event is held between February 17 and 19 and organised by The Faiz Foundation Trust and Lahore Arts Council (LAC).

In the same interview, Akhtar spoke about the success of 'Pathaan' and explained how people are "fed up with cancel culture".

"It must be an interesting film. People must have liked the film. But one more factor is that people were getting fed up of this cancel culture. Ban this film; ban that film. We are a country where there is a constitution; central government has a certification board. And the film is shown to that board. Then the film is released," he added.

He expressed his happiness over the success of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer. "I am so happy that the film has done so well. It is not only good for Shah Rukh or YRF but good for the whole film industry. We were rather thirsting for a hit. And it happened. So the positivity and the self esteem of the film industry has gained a lot," he added.

However, he is yet to watch the movie.