Mumbai, March 5, 2025: Renowned lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar found himself in a heated exchange on social media after a user accused him of fat-shaming Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma.
Following India’s semi-final victory over Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Akhtar took to social media to praise Virat Kohli for his match-winning half-century, posting:
“Once again, Virat has proved that he is the strongest pillar of today’s Indian cricket’s edifice! Hats off!!”
However, his remarks sparked controversy when a user sarcastically responded:
“If Virat is the strongest pillar, then who is Rohit Sharma? The heaviest pillar? Shame on you, Javed Saab, for fat-shaming the Indian captain.”
Akhtar did not take kindly to the accusation and fired back with a strongly worded response:
“Shut up, you cockroach. I have great respect for Rohit Sharma and all the great Indian cricketers in Test history. What kind of a vile and pathetic liar are you to claim that I have ever insulted a great player like Rohit? Think about why you are such a disgusting and mean-spirited person.”
The incident comes after Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed faced backlash for fat-shaming Rohit Sharma in a now-deleted social media post. Mohamed had written:
“Rohit is fat for a sportsman. Needs to lose weight! And of course, the most unimpressive captain India has ever had!”
Her comments, posted amid India’s undefeated run in the Champions Trophy, triggered widespread outrage. Even Congress leaders distanced themselves, stating that her remarks did not reflect the party’s stance, while BJP leaders accused her of attempting to demoralize the team.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia condemned the remarks as “very unfortunate“, warning that such statements could negatively impact the morale of individual players and the team.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also criticized Mohamed’s remarks as “deeply shameful”. Meanwhile, BJP’s Amit Malviya alleged that the comments were a “premeditated attempt to undermine the team’s morale” at a crucial juncture.
