On Sunday, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur put out a tweet about his life, saying that he started as a refugee of Partition, and has always lived his life in the fear of 'intellectuals' who have made him feel small and insignificant.
"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," the Mr India director posted.
Screenwriter-lyricist Javed Akhtar, who is known for voicing his opinions without hesitation, reacted strongly to Kapur's tweet. In a series of replies to the post, he asked, "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?"
Akhtar then 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
It is being said that the backlash was linked with the open letter sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against mob lynchings, signed by 49 film personalities and artists. Aparna Sen, Adoor Gopalkrishnan, Mani Ratnam and Shyam Benegal were among the 49 who had signed that letter. It was followed by a rebuttal from a different group of 62 eminent personalities, including Kangana Ranaut and Prasoon Joshi, who claimed that this was a case of 'selective outrage'.
Akhtar continued, "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."
Kapur, who has Indian films like Masoom, Bandit Queen and international projects like Elizabeth to his credit, replied:
No. It means once you are a refugee, you feel a gypsy. https://t.co/AQcnWh6cx1— Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) July 28, 2019
Read: Kangana Ranaut, 60 Other Celebrities Attack 'Self-Styled Guardians’ Who Wrote Open Letter to Modi
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