Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar came down heavily on a netizen on Sunday after the latter took a dig at former Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam while commenting on his tweet lauding Virat Kohli

Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar came down heavily on a netizen on late Sunday night after the latter took a dig at former Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam while commenting on his tweet. Akhtar had shared a tweet lauding Team India batsman Virat Kohli for his sensational century on Sunday during the India vs Pakistan Champions Trophy match.

As Kohli smashed his 100* against Pakistan, Akhtar took to his X handle and wrote, "Virat Kohli, zindabad!!! We all are so so so proud of you!!! (sic)." While most netizens liked his tweet and shared the same sentiment, a netizen with the handle 'Himanshu Jain (Modi ka Parivar)' replied to Akhtar, "Javed, Babar ka baap Kohli hai. Bolo Jai Shri Ram (sic)."

This did not go down well with Akhtar who spared no time in responding, "Maen to sirf yeh kahoonga ke tum eik neech insaan ho aur neech hi marogay . Tum kya jano desh prem kya hota hai (sic)." This is not the first time the legendary screenwriter got into a spat online, and he is often seen shutting trolls with befitting replies on the microblogging site, X.

It was only a couple of months ago that a local court acquitted Akhtar in his infamous RSS remark case. The lyricist, in an interview in 2021, had reportedly said, "I think those who support organisations like RSS, Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajarang Dal need to do some introspection. Of course, Talibanis are reprehensible, they are barbarians, no doubt about it. However, the people whom you are supporting, how are they different from them? They have the same mindset."

City-based advocate, Santosh Dubey, had then taken objection to Akhtar's statement and had filed a defamation suit against him. However, in November 2024, the complainant expressed his desire to withdraw the case, and the metropolitan magistrate court, Girgaon, thus acquitted Javed in the case.