Javed Akhtar Exclusive | From Being An "Atheist Muslim" To to Overcoming Struggles | Barkha Dutt

Watch the full interview above and check out the complete transcript right here in the description!

Barkha Dutt: Javed Sahab, let me start with a question that you may not approve of and you may not be expecting. You're routinely trolled, as am I. What is the funniest thing you've ever heard said about yourself?

Javed Akhtar: I mean, I've been called a jihadi.

Barkha Dutt: Which you find funny because you're an atheist.

Javed Akhtar: Yeah. Not only an atheist, because at the same time, out of four, three times I have been given police protection in Mumbai against the jihadis.

Barkha Dutt: So that's ironic.

Javed Akhtar: Yeah, of course. But this is not funny, this is irony. These are two different things. It's pure stupidity. People, I think, are thoroughly enjoying the freedom to abuse anybody through this social media. And they have somehow gained some power. They feel that. So, I can say anything to anybody. And that's what they do.

Barkha Dutt: The first time that you were called a jihadi or a jihadist, the first time when this phrase was used for you, do you remember what you thought?

Javed Akhtar: You see, it's so amusing and stupid that it's very difficult to take it seriously. I have been told from both sides. Both the extremists.

Barkha Dutt: You are an equal opportunity offender.

Javed Akhtar: Yeah, yeah. So that's good. As long as some Muslim fanatics are telling me to change my name and call myself Amar or Vijay—like the character you created—or these Hindu extremists call me, "Go to Pakistan," I'm alright. I'm fine. I'll be worried when one of these parties stops trolling me. As long as both of them are abusing me, then I'm secured.

Barkha Dutt: Since you've started with the irony of being called a jihadist when you're an atheist, let's take you back to the beginning, which has been beautifully captured actually in Nasreen Muni Kabir's book, Talking Life. A series of conversations, absolutely riveting. I recommend it to everybody in our audience. Where children were taught nursery rhymes or songs or azans, you were taught the Communist Manifesto in your early years?

Javed Akhtar: You see, when I was born in Gwalior, in a hospital, some of my father's friends who were coming from the Communist Party office, they came in to congratulate. They told him, "Right, you have a baby, you know." And then one of them thought that, you know, in Muslim households, when the children are born, they read some dua, some aayat, some kalma in the child's ear. So what are you going to do? So my father looked around, and one of them had a Communist Manifesto in his hand, and he took it and read the Communist Manifesto in my ear. So that was the beginning.

Barkha Dutt: In a home in Bhopal, when you were perhaps three or four years old, there was a huge portrait of Stalin, and somebody must have told you, I don't know who, that this is your grandfather. And you believed it?

Javed Akhtar: And for almost... perhaps a year or two years, I genuinely believed that this is my grandfather's picture. And it’s Stalin, my grandfather. Who told me and when I was told, I don't remember. But I remember when I was convinced by somebody that he is not my grandfather. So because I was so disappointed, that I remember. I must be five when I was told that actually, you're not directly related.

Barkha Dutt: That’s a hilarious story. Did you identify as a communist in your early adulthood?

Javed Akhtar: Oh yes, till my teenage years. That happens to everyone. In teenage years, everyone is a communist.

Barkha Dutt: What changed that?

Javed Akhtar: I think it was the 20th Congress, where Khrushchev spoke against Stalin and his idol was demolished. So that was a time when many people became disenchanted and gave a second thought to what they believed. Although I was very young, I must have been 14 or 15. But that was the time when the cracks came. And then after the Sino-Indian war, it became a kind of question: are you a communist or are you a nationalist? That is where I think I got over that period.

Barkha Dutt: Your childhood was shaped by many unique influences, including your nana and nani. Could you share more about that?

Javed Akhtar: My nani and nana were devout Muslims. My nani would pray five times a day, even when she was ill. My nana, on the other hand, tried to Islamize me a little, but my nani would argue against it. She once said to him, "You have no right to teach him your religion." This effectively ended my religious education. My family, in general, was irreligious or atheistic.

Barkha Dutt: At what point did you formally identify as an atheist?

Javed Akhtar: Initially, I was an atheist because of my upbringing and peers. Later, I read works by Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and others, which reinforced my beliefs. I have read about various religions as well, but I’ve always been a non-believer.

Barkha Dutt: Despite being an atheist, you identify as a Muslim culturally. Could you elaborate?

Javed Akhtar: Religiosity and communalism are different. Communal identity often outgrows religious beliefs. Even if I don’t believe in Islam, I remain part of the Muslim community culturally and socially. It’s an identity you’re born into.

Barkha Dutt: What are your thoughts on atheism in today’s society?

Javed Akhtar: Atheists today are like what gay people were 50-60 years ago. Many are closeted, afraid to express their beliefs. However, atheism has a long history in India, dating back to the Charvakas 3,500 years ago.

Barkha Dutt: You’ve also been vocal about the intersection of religion and public life. What are your thoughts?

Javed Akhtar: Religion should not interfere with civil rights. For instance, praying on the streets and blocking traffic is not acceptable. However, the state must apply rules even-handedly across all religions.

Barkha Dutt: What about debates surrounding the Uniform Civil Code?

Javed Akhtar: I support a Uniform Civil Code in principle, but it should not target minorities. It must be fair, logical, and implemented at the national level. It requires thorough discussion, not rushed legislation.

Barkha Dutt: Let’s shift to your early struggles. Do you remember your days in Mumbai vividly?

Javed Akhtar: Very vividly. I slept on pavements and often went without food for days. Those hardships shaped me, but I’m deeply grateful for where life has brought me. I’ve been compensated many times over.

Barkha Dutt: Your struggles with alcoholism have also been a significant part of your life story. How did you overcome it?

Javed Akhtar: I realised I had to choose between drinking and living. On July 31, 1991, I decided to quit. It was a conscious decision, and I haven’t touched alcohol since.

Barkha Dutt: Your partnership with Salim Khan was legendary. Why did it end?

Javed Akhtar: Partnerships in creative fields are challenging. Over time, we grew apart as individuals, and our creative rapport weakened. There was no fight or dispute, just a natural drifting apart.

Barkha Dutt: Lastly, do you have any regrets?

Javed Akhtar: Many. I regret how I handled relationships with my ex-wife and younger brother. Regrets are a part of growing wiser with age.

Barkha Dutt: Thank you, Javed Sahab, for sharing your journey with such honesty and openness.

Javed Akhtar: Thank you.