Film director Shekhar Kapur was criticised on Twitter by renowned lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar after the film director claimed he was always in "fear of intellectuals" and their acceptance felt like the bite of a "snake". Kapur's remark garnered a lot of attention online on Sunday, which the lyricist slammed without mincing words and suggested that the filmmaker should see a "good psychiatrist". Claiming he was a "refugee", the Masoom director wrote, "Started life as refugee of Partition. Parents gave everything to make a life for kids. Was always in fear of ‘intellectuals’." He went on to add how intellectuals made him feel "small" and "insignificant" and only acknowledged him after his films were successful. "Then suddenly embraced me after my films. I still fear them. Their embrace is like a bite of snake," his tweet said. Started life as refugee of Partition. Parents gave everything to make a life for kids. Was always in fear of ‘intellectuals’. They made me feel insignicant. Small. Then suddenly embraced me after my films. I still fear them. Their embrace is like a bite of snake. Still a refugee. — Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) July 27, 2019 Akhtar retorted by asking why he still feels like a refugee and also asked who were the intellectuals who embraced him. Kapur's remark came after 49 eminent personalities wrote a letter to the Prime Minister stating that the statement 'Jai Shri Ram' has become a war cry. "What do you mean by still a refugee Does it mean that you feel like an outsider n not an Indian n you don’t feel that this is your motherland. If in India you are still a refugee where will you not feel like a refugee, In Pakistan? Cut this melodrama, you poor rich but lonely guy," Akhtar wrote in his first tweet. What do you mean by still a refugee Does it mean that you feel like an outsider n not an Indian n you don’t feel that this is your motherland .If in India you are still a refugee where will you not feel like a refugee ,In Pakistan? Cut this melodrama you poor rich but lonely guy — Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) July 28, 2019 Asking who the 'intellectuals' were who embraced Kapur, Akhtar added, "Shekhar saheb you are not well. You need help. Come on, there is no shame in meeting a good psychiatrist." .who are these intellectuals who embraced you and you found that embrace like a snake’s bite ? Shyam Benegal , Adoor Gopal Krishna , Ram chandra Guha ? Really ? . Shekhar saheb you are not well . You need help . Come on , there is no shame in meeting a good psychiatrist . — Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) July 28, 2019 In a third tweet, Akhtar wrote, "You introduce yourself as neither prejudiced by the past nor afraid of the future living in this moment and in the same breath you say you are a refugee of partition and still a refugee. One doesn’t need a magnifying glass to see the contradiction." You introduce yourself as neither prejudiced by the past nor afraid of the future living in this moment and in the same breath you say you are a refugee of partition and still a refugee . One doesn’t need a magnifying glass to see the contradiction . — Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) July 28, 2019 Kapur responded to one of Akhtar's tweets with a tweet that said: "No. It means once you are a refugee, you feel a gypsy." He did not elaborate or respond to any of the other tweets. No. It means once you are a refugee, you feel a gypsy. — Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) July 28, 2019 Kapur's tweet and Akhtar's response sparked a debate on Twitter, with many asking the filmmaker whether it was wrong to ask the prime minister to take action against mob lynchings against minorities, and whether it required an individual to be an intellectual to take a stand. Many criticised Kapur and called him "privileged". You were 1.5 years old when the partition happened! You studied at Modern School and St. Stephen's College in Delhi before moving to England. Don't romanticize your life by calling yourself a "refugee of partition". That's being unfair to the real refugees, including your folks. — Vaibhav Vishal (@ofnosurnamefame) July 29, 2019 I’m pretty sure there are a million people you haven’t embraced for the same reasons so please check your privilege. — Ishita Yadav (@IshitaYadav) July 28, 2019 Does one have to be an intellectual to speak up against those who say 'Jo na bole Jai Shri Ram, bhej do usko kabristan'? I wonder. — Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) July 27, 2019 Who are these intellectuals who made you feel "insignificant" & "small" b4 your films were released, Mr Kapur? You mean #ShabanaAzmi & #NaseeruddinShah who acted in your debut film Masoom in 1983 when u were unknown? Should this tweet be described as ingratitude / a lie / both? — Anna MM Vetticad (@annavetticad) July 28, 2019 Those who suffer take stand for people who are suffering. They don't hide in fear of being bitten by their own demons. But u are still a refugee so remain one. It takes a Malala to bring a change. Not a Shekhar. — Pallavi Sharma (@PallaviSharmars) July 27, 2019 You were 2 when the Partition happened. It was done by the British too but you went on to study & work there. You glorified the royal family. So please stop basing your anti-Muslim bigotry on the Partition, you come from an insanely elite family that gained more than they lost. — omer (@intellectroll) July 29, 2019 They may or may not be intellectuals but they are courageous ppl and stand up against injustice. You decide for yourself. — Zer e Lab سیما عالم (@SeemaAlam) July 29, 2019 Basically he's saying he's got a huge inferiority complex, and is scared of people smarter than him — مدھو (@collegeblues) July 29, 2019 You were not even two year old at the time of partition . You have no memory of Pakistan. You came to India in an airplane. You are nephew of filmstar Dev Anand .. And spent most of your life in London .. Who are you fooling? — Shuvankar Mukherjee (@shuvankr) July 29, 2019 Shekhar Kapoor feels like a refugee in our country! Anyone sending him somewhere or that is only reserved for Amir Khan and his family? — Darain (@darainshahidi) July 29, 2019 Nothing defines new India better than this tweet , a man of absolute privilege usurps the struggle of disenfranchised 72 yrs back and claims to be victim sitting out of protected ivory tower and there is a horde to defend his victimhood — jokidaar (@CworeRedux) July 29, 2019 Kapur has since tweeted multiple times and hasn't responded to the criticism.
