Javed Akhtar: Points of View | Javed Akhtar in conversation with Warisha Farasat

Celebrated poet, philosopher and public intellectual Javed Akhtar, beloved for his lyrics , screenplays and frank opinions, discusses the contradictions and conflicts that address the daily discourse of today's troubled world. From cinema and the changing role of social media to the eternal classics of literature, from the paths of love to the nature of patriotism, he addresses life’s major questions and the multiple answers they elicit. An interactive session with Warisha Farasat and the audience. Javed Akhtar is a renowned poet, writer, activist and lyricist.With five National Awards and the revered Sahitya Akademi Award to his credit, he is a luminary in Indian literature and cinema. His books, including the bestselling Lava and the influential Talking Films, are considered essential works in their respective fields. A transformative figure in policy as well as art, Akhtar authored the Copyright Amendment Bill and is consistently ranked among India's most influential public figures. Warisha Farasat is a distinguished lawyer and human rights advocate, an alumna of NLSIU, Bangalore, and Columbia Law School, where she was a Henkin-Stoffel Fellow. She has worked with the International Center for Transitional Justice, advising on international criminal law, reparations, truth commissions, and transitional justice. In India, she litigates high-profile criminal and constitutional cases defending minorities, marginalized communities, dissidents, and journalists wrongly charged under restrictive laws. Widely published on human rights, freedom of expression, and transitional justice, she authored Splintered Justice: Living the Horror of Mass Communal Violence in Bhagalpur and Gujarat. She enjoys historical non-fiction and Urdu poetry. Follow us on – Website - https://jaipurliteraturefestival.org/ Facebook -   / jaipurlitfest   YouTube -    / jprlitfest   Instagram -   / jaipurlitfest   Twitter -   / jaipurlitfest   #javedakhtar #jaipurliteraturefestival2026 #pointofview