Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar

There are many people who’ve been offended by Tanmay Bhat‘s video spoofing Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar, and I guess you can add Javed Akhtar to the top of that list. He just went on record in an interview to DNA, saying that Tanmay has “the mind of a cockroach.” However, he refuses to call Tanmay by name since he doesn’t want to give him any more publicity, and instead continuously refers to have as “that chap” or “that guy.”

Here’s what he said:

This chap has the mind of a cockroach. Humour is something we all appreciate. But what is funny about ridiculing Lataji? The video is cheap and unworthy of getting any attention. The chap had not bargained for the backlash. Since he had gotten away with so much crassness in the past he thought he would get away this time. But there are celebrities. And then there is Lata Mangeshkar. You can’t get away with ridiculing her.

When pressed about freedom of speech, Javed Akhtar said that freedom comes with responsibility. “You can criticise Lataji’s flawless songs and singing if you are so crazily inclined, you can comment on Sachin’s batting. But you can’t make obscene comments on their age and looks. That is not funny by any yardstick.

What are your thoughts?