Javed Akhtar says fear of ED, CBI, income tax raids stops top Bollywood actors from speaking out, recalls Meryl Streep's viral speech against Donald Trump

Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar, who is known for his outspoken views against the central government, recently shared why many Bollywood celebrities, especially top stars, choose to remain silent on political matters. Speaking on Kapil Sibal’s YouTube channel, Akhtar said it isn’t indifference but fear that holds them back.

He drew a comparison with Hollywood, citing Meryl Streep’s bold speech at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards, where she criticised then-US President Donald Trump. “Meryl Streep gave a statement [against the US government], but there was no income tax raid on her,” Akhtar said. “Whether this insecurity is real or not, I don’t want to get into that debate. But the perception exists. If this fear is in one’s heart, then they will worry about the ED, the CBI, an income tax raid... that their files will be opened and they’ll be investigated.”

He also clarified that this fear is not rooted within the film industry itself. “They may be in the industry, but they live in the same society. They operate like ordinary people. There’s just more dhoom-dhaam in this profession,” he added.

Akhtar maintained that he doesn’t blame others for choosing silence. “I might be one of the few voices speaking up, but I understand why others might not,” he said.

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Streep’s Golden Globe speech, which Akhtar referenced, became a viral moment in 2017. Accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award, she said, “There was one performance this year that stunned me. It sank its hooks in my heart—not because it was good; there was nothing good about it—but it was effective and it did its job. It was that moment when the person asking to sit in the most respected seat in our country imitated a disabled reporter—someone he outranked in privilege, power and the capacity to fight back. It broke my heart.”