In debate on existence of God, Javed Akhtar's 'PM Modi is better' retort The nearly two-hour debate on 'Does God Exist?' marked a rare public exchange between Javed Akhtar, a self-proclaimed atheist, and Mufti Shamail Nadwi, an Islamic scholar with online clout. AdvertisementPoet-lyricist Javed Akhtar. India Today News DeskNew Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 21, 2025 11:32 ISTWritten By: Devika BhattacharyaAn academic dialogue on the existence of God between poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar and Islamic scholar Mufti Shamail Nadwi drew a packed audience at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on Saturday and quickly spilled beyond the hall, sparking sharp reactions online and dividing commentators over faith, reason and morality. Moderated by Saurabh Dwivedi, editor of The Lallantop, the nearly two-hour debate on ‘Does God Exist?’ marked a rare public exchange between a self-proclaimed atheist and a religious scholar, with both sides pressing their case through logic, ethics and lived experience. advertisementAkhtar, known for speaking his mind bluntly, anchored his argument in human suffering and the moral contradictions he sees in the idea of an all-powerful deity. He pointed to the war in Gaza, where more than 70,000 Palestinians have died, to question the notion of an all-powerful and merciful God. “If you’re omnipotent and omnipresent, then you must be present in Gaza as well, you must have seen the children torn to shreds, and you still want me to believe in you?” he said.“Compared to that, our Prime Minister is better, kuch to khayal karte hai,” the screenwriter quipped. Over the course of the debate, Akhtar repeatedly returned to violence carried out in the name of religion.
