After calling Javed Akhtar ‘never original, ugly as f**k’, Lucky Ali fires a fresh salvo disguised as apology: ‘Monsters may have feelings too’

The video shows Javed Akhtar reflecting on a now-iconic scene from the 1975 Bollywood classic Sholay, which he co-wrote with Salim Khan. “In Sholay, there was a scene where Dharmendra hides behind Shiv ji’s murti and speaks, and Hema Malini (thinks) Shiv ji is talking to her. Is it possible to have a scene like that today? No, I will not write a scene (like this today). Were there no Hindus in 1975 (when Sholay released)? Were there no dharmic people? There were,” the lyricist says in the clip.

Don’t become like javed akhtar, never original and ugly as fack…

— Lucky Ali (@luckyali) October 20, 2025

He continues with the statement that has drawn the most fire: “As a matter of fact, I’m on record, I’m not saying it right here. Raju Hirani and I were in Pune in front of a big audience and I said, ‘Don’t become like Muslims. Make them like yourself. You are becoming like Muslims.’ It’s a tragedy.” Javed Akhtar, who has frequently spoken out against both Hindu and Muslim hardliners, has often found himself caught in the crosshairs of ideological clashes. Just last month, a planned cultural event in Kolkata featuring him as chief guest was postponed after Muslim organization Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind objected to his participation.

Also Read | Javed Akhtar looks back at the Sholay script he wrote with Salim Khan: ‘Its dialogues are used in stand-up comedies even today’

In a past interview with NDTV,  Javed Akhtar addressed the polarized reactions he often receives from both communities. “Some of them call me a jihadi and that I should migrate to Pakistan. Some say I’m a kaafir and I will 100% go to hell and I should change my name, that I don’t have the right to have a Muslim-sounding name,” he said.

“In the last 20-25 years, Mumbai Police has offered me protection at least four times on their own… Three out of four times it was because of some Muslim organisations or people, and one time from the other side. This kind of reaction is nothing new for me.”

Lucky Ali, too, has had his share of controversy. In 2023, he faced criticism for claiming that the Sanskrit word “Brahman” was derived from “Abram,” a claim widely dismissed by scholars and practitioners alike. He later deleted the post and issued a public apology.