Bollywood's Javed Akhtar: Secularism will prevail in India

DW (English)

In an exclusive interview with DW, renowned Indian poet and writer Javed Akhtar speaks about the rise of Hindu nationalism in his country, and the prospect of cordial ties between India and Pakistan.

Transcript

00:00 In spite of certain resistance from certain quarters, I think it is appreciable that the

00:10 progressive writers, progressive thinkers and progressive groups are making their presence

00:17 felt and they are making it very obvious that there are many things which they don't approve

00:22 of and they don't appreciate.

00:24 As far as I don't know what is the meaning of this word nationalism, you know, if it

00:30 is not acidic, if it is not full of hate and vendetta, some kind of bitterness which is

00:42 either real or imaginary version of history, then it is not good.

00:51 But if nationalism means caring for the nation, loving the country, loving your people, then

00:57 it's good.

01:02 Not at all.

01:03 You see, I mean, there can be one individual or two who may have their agenda or whatever,

01:11 but you see, show business and any mass communication by and large cannot be successful if it is

01:18 sectarian, if it is prejudiced and biased.

01:24 Cinema, poetry, art, they have to be secular.

01:31 They have to be.

01:32 It's almost, I mean, mandatory.

01:36 Look at cinema.

01:37 It's an expensive exercise and it should be appreciated by most of the people.

01:44 So your consideration is that you should reach as many people as possible.

01:50 And you cannot do that by propagating deep hatred or prejudices.

01:56 Sometimes people try it and sometimes one of these pictures and some films can become

02:02 successful in spite of that because there are some other elements which have been appreciated

02:07 by the audience.

02:08 But ultimately, cinema or literature or poetry are the language of love.

02:16 Yes, to some extent, it's true.

02:19 I must accept that.

02:21 And there are right-wing forces.

02:25 There are some toxic ideologies that definitely have risen their heads and they have some

02:34 propaganda machines in their hands.

02:36 They're doing it, but it doesn't matter.

02:39 It doesn't matter.

02:40 You see, we should not see any society, any country in a period of 10 years or 15 years

02:49 or 20 years.

02:51 India is ruled by a man called Aurangzeb for 50 years.

02:57 But India remains India.

02:58 It did not change.

03:00 So I think if we see a nation or a country like India, as big as India, in a period of

03:08 two or three decades, that won't be fair.

03:12 You have to see them in centuries.

03:16 Well, to be honest, at the moment, I don't see much light at the end of the tunnel, but

03:23 I am totally convinced that it will happen.

03:29 Because this divide and this hatred and this distancing and these prejudices and suspicions

03:35 are illogical and unnatural.

03:40 So it will not sustain.

03:43 It may take another 100 years or 200 years, but ultimately better sense will prevail because

03:49 that's the reality.

03:50 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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