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Don't try to pollute film industry with communal bias: Javed Akhtar

Agencies
March 28, 2018

Mumbai, Mar 28: Veteran screenwriter Javed Akhtar today warned "bigots" to be wary of communalising the Indian film industry, which he termed as "the citadel of secularism".

The 73-year-old lyricist-writer's comments come after India-based French journalist Francois Gautier had responded to reports of a planned on-screen adaptation of Mahabharat, in which Aamir Khan could possibly play Krishna, highlighting the Bollywood star's religion.

Without naming Gautier, Akhtar, who has spent 53-years in films, asked people to stop spreading hatred in the name of faith in the field of cinema.

"I had joined film industry in 1965 on a salary of 50 rupees per month. In these 53 years not for a second, I have experienced or even seen any communal bias in our industry.

"This film industry is the citadel of secularism. Bigots, don't try to pollute it," he tweeted today.

Gautier had tweeted, "Why should @AamirKhan, a Muslim, play in most ancient & sacred of Hindu epics, the Mahabharata? Is @BJP4India Govt of @narendramodi going to be like the @INCIndia & just stand by in name of secularism??? Would Muslims allow a Hindu to play life of Mohamed?"

Akhtar had earlier slammed the journalist for behaving like a PR machine, calling him "clueless" about Indian history and films.

"Can somebody educate this clueless idiot Gautier that a film Mahabharata was made in 1965 and had become a super hit. The producer's name was Ghaffar Bhai Nadiadwala. This is India that we are proud of. Can somebody explain it to the dimwit," Akhtar had written earlier.

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News Network
July 26,2020

Mumbai, Jul 26: Just days after actor Kangana Ranaut made some claims on Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide case and asked why the Mumbai police is not summoning some people of the Hindi film industry, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Sunday said that film director Mahesh Bhatt and Karan Johar's manager will be called for the questioning.

"Tomorrow Mahesh Bhatt will be called for questioning and we will later call Karan Johar's manager too. If required Karan Johar can also be called for the questioning in Sushant Singh Rajput case," he said while speaking to news agency.

A day Rajput's suicide, Kangana had released a two-minute video speaking highly of the deceased actor and accusing certain sections of the film industry for not acknowledging the star's talent.

Kangana had also claimed that some of the last social media posts by the actor made it evident that he was struggling to survive in the industry.

According to the police, statements of 39 people, including film critic Rajeev Masand, director-producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and filmmaker Aditya Chopra have been recorded in the investigation so far.

Rajput was found dead in his Mumbai residence on June 14.

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News Network
February 21,2020

Kolhapur, Feb 21: Voicing against Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), renowned lyrics and thinker Javed Akhtar has said that the act was an assault to secularism and integrity of India and with the ongoing protests, the nation had reached a threshold for an another struggle.

Speaking here on Thursday night at an event organised on the 5th death anniversary of CPI senior leader and progressive leader Com Govind Pansare, Mr Akhtar said the newly amended citizenship act was a plot to split the country.

Mr Javed said that communalism has a deep root in India and it spread after the formation of Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League in British India. "Muslim league got Pakistan but Hindu Mahasabha is still unsatisfied," he alleged and added that BJP was now 'working as a branch of RSS' and trying to 'split the country' through NRC.

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Agencies
August 1,2020

Mumbai, Aug 1: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said that Sushant Singh Rajput case should not be politicised or used to create friction between Maharashtra and Bihar.

Amid the ongoing criticism faced by the Mumbai Police following an investigation into Rajput's death case, the Chief Minister stressed that Mumbai Police is not "inefficient" while appealing those who have any evidence in regard to the case to step forward.

"Mumbai Police is not inefficient. If anyone has any evidence they can bring it to us and we will interrogate and punish the guilty. Please do not use this case (Sushant Singh Rajput death case) as an excuse to create friction between Maharashtra and Bihar," Thackeray said on Friday.

"Bringing politics in the case is the most deplorable thing to do," he added.

Maharashtra government has filed a caveat before the Supreme Court in the Rajput's death case.

Earlier, Bihar government and Rajput's family have filed caveats in the top court seeking to challenge actor Rhea Chakraborty's petition that sought transfer of the FIR registered in Patna to Mumbai in the actor's death case.

"After Bihar government and Rajput's family filed a caveat in the Supreme Court, Maharashtra government has filed a caveat before the SC today to ensure that no order is passed in Rhea Chakraborty's petition case without hearing its (Maharashtra) side," said Sachin Patil, standing counsel for Maharashtra Government.

A caveat is a legal process, in which the party which had filed it before the concerned court, shall have to be heard definitely before the concerned court passes any order in future.

Bihar Police has sought the assistance of Mumbai police to probe the Sushant Singh Rajput case, Mumbai police Crime Branch officials told ANI. However, the Police are still considering their request.

Bihar Police team reached after an FIR was filed by late actor's father KK Singh against Chakraborty in Bihar under several sections including abetment of suicide.

Rajput was found dead in his Mumbai residence on June 14.

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