Bhubaneswar: In a recent turn of events that has taken social media by storm, celebrated lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar found himself at the center of a controversy following his comments about Odia cuisine. The incident, which occurred during a discussion on comedy with stand-up comedians Sapan Verma and Biswa Kalyan Rath, has sparked outrage among netizens from Odisha, leading to a heated debate about cultural sensitivity and stereotypes.
See video here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Odisha/comments/1g1tadj/odia_food_is_bland/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
According to a Reddit user who shared details of the conversation, Akhtar made a controversial statement while discussing the use of cuss words in comedy. He reportedly said, "In poverty-ridden areas like Bihar, Odisha, Mexico, they use chilli because their food is bland and they have to make it palatable. Similarly, in comedy, if you don't have the wits, you have to use cuss words to make it exciting."
The comparison drawn between the use of spices in food and the use of profanity in comedy quickly became the focal point of intense criticism. Odisha's netizens, in particular, took strong exception to Akhtar's characterization of their cuisine as "bland" and the implication that their use of spices was somehow linked to poverty.
One Twitter user, @OdishaLover22, wrote, "Javed Akhtar's comments show a deep ignorance of Odia culture and cuisine. Our food is a celebration of flavors, not a mask for blandness.
Social media platforms, especially Twitter and Facebook, saw an influx of posts from outraged Odia people defending their culinary heritage. Many users shared images of popular Odia dishes, highlighting the rich flavors and diverse ingredients used in the state's traditional cuisine.
Rajiv Mohanty, a chef in the making from IHM, reamarked " Javed Akhtar should take a leaf out of celebrity chef Vikas Khanna who applauded Odisha's DahiBara Aloodum and was culturally sensitive".
