Legendary screenwriter Javed Akhtar has issued a warning of potential legal action against those responsible for circulating a deepfake video of him, which comes with misleading claims.
On Thursday, Akhtar took to his X account, formerly Twitter, to share a detailed note addressing the fabricated video. He stated, “A fake video is in circulation showing my fake computer generated picture with a topi on my head claiming that ultimately I have turned to God. It is rubbish.”
He further emphasized, “I am seriously considering reporting this to the cyber police and ultimately dragging the person responsible for this fake news and those few who forward it to court for damaging my reputation and credibility.”
Recently, Javed Akhtar participated in a high-profile public debate titled ‘Does God Exist?’ alongside Islamic scholar Mufti Shamail Nadwi. The event, held at the Constitution Club of India and moderated by journalist Saurabh Dwivedi, saw Akhtar, known for his secular and atheistic views, challenge traditional theistic arguments by raising questions about faith, evidence, and reason.
Mufti Nadwi, with his background in classical Islamic scholarship, defended theistic positions, using logic and philosophical reasoning to support his arguments. This exchange quickly went viral, sparking diverse reactions across social media from believers, agnostics, and secular thinkers. While some applauded the mufti’s rebuttals as persuasive, others found Akhtar’s secular reasoning equally compelling. The debate reignited broader discussions on faith, logic, and public discourse in India’s varied society.
Earlier, Javed Akhtar expressed his emotions in a heartfelt birthday note for his filmmaker daughter, Zoya Akhtar, reflecting on the day she was born. Akhtar was first married to Honey Irani, with whom he has two children, Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar. He later married National Award-winning actress Shabana Azmi in 1984.