Srinagar, Jan 18: Propels Democratic Party (PDP) President and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said that Bollywood has long served as a “living mini-India,” mirroring the nation’s social realities.
In a post on X, the former chief minister, as per News Agency Kashmir News Service (KNS), responded to recent remarks by screenwriter-lyricist Javed Akhtar, who had dismissed composer A.R. Rahman’s concerns over the growing communalization within the film industry.
Mufti said that by rejecting Rahman’s apprehensions, Akhtar overlooks the “lived and shared realities of Indian Muslims.” She pointed to the experiences of Akhtar’s wife, veteran actress Shabana Azmi, who has previously spoken about being denied housing in Mumbai on account of her Muslim identity.
“Bollywood has always been a living mini-India, mirroring the country’s social realities,” Mufti wrote. “Brushing aside such experiences does not change the truth about today’s India.” (KNS)
