Javed Akhtar Comments on ‘Padmavati’; Manages to Rile Tweeple Up

Javed Akhtar’s say on the ‘Padmavati’ debate catches Tweeple’s attention.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati is causing quite an uproar triggered by a volatile debate on art vs history. The director was assaulted on the sets of his film by members of fringe group Karni Sena thus further fuelling the fire. Bollywood stalwarts took to Twitter to condemn the incident and extend their solidarity with Bhansali. Much has been said about the alleged distortion of historical facts, whether Padmavati actually existed or not and the scope of artistic license.

Recently, Javed Akhtar tweeted out that Padmavati is not a part of history, but pure fiction. This elicited quite a response on Twitter as people flocked to the thread with questions and corrections.

Take a look!

Padmawat is the first Hindi novel written by Malik Mohammad Jaisi during Akbar's era .It is not history but pure fiction like Salim Anarkali

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) January 31, 2017

Fact Vs Fiction

Dear @Javedakhtarjadu few facts
1. Padmawat was an epic poem.
2. Written during Sher Shar Suri Era
3. It was in Awadhi
4. NOT a fiction
1/n

— Abhishek Singh (@IAbhi_s) January 31, 2017

Educate us @Javedakhtarjadu sir. Did Jayasi specify it is a work of fiction or is it just an assumption by historians like yourself?

— Thought Gun (@ShootinThoughts) January 31, 2017

Sir, 1 question salim- anarkali was a fictional love story. AGREED, but it was presented in a same way.
@Javedakhtarjadu

— Rama B⚡ (@ScholarRama) January 31, 2017

Akbar Or Sher Shah Suri?

@Javedakhtarjadu @chhotahazri not a novel but an epic poem, let alone first. Also not written during Akbar's reign but shershah suri

— Alok Ranjan (@alokranj) January 31, 2017

Dear @Javedakhtarjadu, when Mailk Muhammad Jayasi completed his "Padmavat" in 1540, Akbar was not even born.

Regards https://t.co/pbyJ27Q53v

— True Indology (@TrueIndology) January 31, 2017

@chhotahazri @alokranj @Javedakhtarjadu also it was written in Awadhi, not in Hindi. Just like Ram Charitra Manas.

— Anurag Shukla (@Anuraag_Shukla) January 31, 2017

Oral Transmission Vs Print

@Javedakhtarjadu U think locals of Rajasthan n entire India got to know of Queen #Padmavati after reading a novel? Go n Ask this in Chittor!

— Sanjeev Singh (@SanjeevHopes) January 31, 2017

@Javedakhtarjadu This is Bharat here history is remembered through smrutis and not through some books,

— प्रदीप राजपूत (@Missorever) January 31, 2017

Who Gets To Decide?

@Javedakhtarjadu @nowme_datta did you see the responses? Indian RW trying to teach literature to Javed Akhtar! The world has gone MAD.

— Irshad Daftari (@daftari) January 31, 2017

Also @Javedakhtarjadu name the source of tht paragraph u've quoted and its author. Quoting some article doesn't pass off for scholarly proof

— Nupur (@UnSubtleDesi) January 31, 2017

@daftari ok go through medieval indian history books plz ensure it is not written by any maulana type. @Javedakhtarjadu @nowme_datta

— अवनीन्द्र राय 🇮🇳 (@Rai_Saahab) January 31, 2017

Akhtar has replied to some of the tweets citing his sources and denouncing the fact that he has been called a liar. He also mentions that he calls Padmavati a novel instead of a poem in order to simplify things for many.