On the occasion of India’s 79th Independence Day, veteran writer, poet, and lyricist Javed ‘Jadoo’ Akhtar wished the countrymen via a social media post. He remarked, “Let’s not forget this independence was not given to us on a platter.” “Today we must remember and salute those who went to jails and those who went to gallows for getting us Azaadi,” the Sholay (1975) movie’s co-writer added. “Let’s see that we never lose this precious gift,” Akhtar concluded the tweet.
Reacting to Javed Akhtar’s tweet, one among several trolls online took a dig at the screenwriter, stating, “Aapka happy independence to 14th August hai?” (Your independence day falls on 14th August). For the unversed, 14 August is Pakistan’s liberation day, a day earlier than parent India, which was awarded independence.
Responding to the troll in his brutal andaaz, the octogenarian writer of Deewar, Zanjeer, and other cult classics, minced no wordss and replied
Beta jab tumhare baap dada angrez ke joote chaat rahe thay, mere buzurg desh ki aazadi ke liye kaala pani mein mar rahe thay . Apni auqat mein raho .
(Son when your ancestors were licking the boots of British Raj, my forefathers were striving for the freedom of the country, sacrificing their lives in kaala paani. Be in your aukaat 😀 ).
Trivia: Javed Akhtar’s great-great-grandfather, Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi, was imprisoned at the cellular jail (kaala pani) in Port Blair for his fight against the British Raj during the mutiny of 1857
Happy Independence Day to all my Indian sisters and brothers . Let’s not forget this independence was not given to us on a platter . Today we must remember and salute those who Went to jails and those went to gallows for getting us Azaadi . Let’s see that we never lose this…
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) August 15, 2025
Aapka happy independence to 14th August hai
— GOALMAAL (@WEAREFUTURE4) August 15, 2025
Beta jab tumhare baap dada angrez ke joote chaat rahe thay mere buzurg desh ki aazadi ke liye kaala pani mein mar rahe thay . Apni auqat mein raho .
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) August 15, 2025
pic.twitter.com/jWvosfyS5g
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) February 26, 2025
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Cover: Wikimedia