Javed Akhtar Responds After Hijab Video Resurfaces, Slams Nitish Kumar: ‘Against Parda, Not This’
A video of Javed Akhtar questioning the logic behind women wearing hijab has resurfaced online amid the Nitish Kumar controversy. The lyricist clarified that while he opposes parda, he strongly condemns the CM’s actions.
A video featuring veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar questioning the rationale behind women wearing the hijab has resurfaced across social media platforms. The clip has gone viral just days after Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar was seen pulling down a woman’s hijab at a public event. Amid the renewed debate, Javed issued a clarification on Thursday, stating that while he continues to stand by his long-held views on the subject, he strongly disapproves of the chief minister’s actions.
Javed Akhtar's old video goes viral
The video in question is from the third edition of the SOA Literary Festival, where Javed responded to a query about whether covering one’s face diminishes a woman’s strength. During the interaction, he raised questions about the reasoning behind women wearing a hijab and asked whether covering the face implies a sense of shame.
At the November event, Javed was asked, "You said you were raised by women who never wore burqas. So, according to you, they were all strong women. But how does covering yourself up make you less of a strong woman?" In response, he said that modest dressing should apply equally to men and women, but questioned the need for women to conceal their faces.
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Replying to the question, Javed said, "No, it's not about being a strong woman...I can understand from where you are coming. Why should you be ashamed of your face. Why should you be? I believe that revealing clothes – whether men wear them or women – don’t look dignified. If a man comes to the office or college in a sleeveless shirt or short, it’s not a good thing. He should dress decently. And a woman should also be decently dressed."
Javed further argued that wearing a burqa often stems from societal pressure rather than free choice. He said that if a woman believes she is choosing to cover her face independently, then she is "brainwashed." “But what makes her cover her face? What is so vulgar, obscene, undignified about her face that it is covered? Why? What is the reason? This is peer pressure. If given a choice, she is brainwashed. If she says that she is doing it on her own, then she is brainwashed. Because she knows that some peers in her life will appreciate that this is done. If you leave her, then why will anyone cover their face? Does she hate her face? Is she ashamed of her face? What? Why?" he said.
Javed Akhtar's tweet on Nitish Kumar episode
Following the controversy involving the Bihar chief minister, Javed took to X to clarify his stance. In his tweet on Thursday, he wrote, “Every one who knows me even in the most cursory manner knows how much I am against the traditional concept of Parda but it doesn’t mean that by any stretch of imagination I can accept what Mr Nitish Kumar has done to a Muslim lady doctor. I condemn it in very strong words. Mr Nitish Kumar owes an unconditional apology to the lady.”
Every one who knows me even in the most cursory manner knows how much I am against the traditional concept of Parda but it doesn’t mean that by any stretch of imagination I can accept what Mr Nitish Kumar has done to a Muslim lady doctor . I condemn it in very strong words . Mr…
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) December 18, 2025
Netizens react to Javed Akhtar's video
The resurfaced clip also triggered a wave of reactions online. Shared widely on Reddit, the video drew mixed but largely supportive responses. One user commented, "At last, some logical answer. Brainwashed people don't believe they are brainwashed." Another wrote, "Perfectly described! Let's give them a free environment to grow up in and then give them those choices. 10 out of 10 times, common sense will prevail." A third added, "I love Javed Akhtar, his ideas are beautiful. He's trying to open the minds of younger and older generations stuck in the past and old, useless ideologies."
The renewed discussion follows a recent incident in Bihar involving a newly appointed AYUSH doctor. During a public appointment ceremony at Samvad, the chief minister’s secretariat, Nitish Kumar pulled down the hijab of Nusrat Parveen as she stepped forward to receive her appointment letter. The event saw over 1,000 AYUSH doctors being appointed, including 685 Ayurveda doctors, 393 Homoeopaths and 205 Unani practitioners, according to the CMO.
When Parveen approached the stage with her face covered, the 75-year-old chief minister reacted by saying, "What is this?" before pulling down her veil. The visibly shaken doctor was quickly escorted away by an official, while Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary was seen attempting to restrain Nitish Kumar by tugging at his sleeve.
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