Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Javed Akhtar 'deeply honoured' on becoming first Indian to receive Richard Dawkins Award

Veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar on Sunday said he is honoured to be named this year's recipient of the Richard Dawkins Award as he has been a huge fan of the world-renowned English evolutionary biologist in whose name the recognition is bestowed.

Akhtar became the first Indian to be given the honour for critical thinking, holding religious dogma up to scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values.


"I am deeply honoured. I have been a great admirer of Richard Dawkins ever since I read his first book The Selfish Gene.

"I received an email from him informing me that I had been unanimously selected for the award by the board of Center for Inquiry USA, in which The Richard Dawkins Foundation is housed," Akhtar, 75, told PTI.

Every year, the award recognises a distinguished individual from the field of science, scholarship, education, or entertainment, who publicly proclaims the values of secularism and rationalism and upholding scientific truth.

The veteran screenwriter said Dawkins is a "fierce advocate" of empirical science over superstition and he has read all his books.

"His books have strengthened my own views on the need to expose religious dogma as an enemy of critical thinking and rationality," Akhtar added.

According to Akhtar's wife, veteran actor Shabana Azmi, the award's relevance becomes more prominent, especially in the current times when secularism is under attack.

"I am thrilled. I know what a hero Richard Dawkins has been for Javed. The award gains all the more significance because in today''s time when secularism is being attacked by religious fundamentalists of all hues, this award comes as a validation of Javed's long service to rational thinking," Azmi told PTI.

British actor-comedian Ricky Gervais received the honour last year.

Bollywood celebrities including Akhtar's daughter, filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, actors Anil Kapoor, Dia Mirza took to social media to congratulate the writer on the recognition.

Zoya Akhtar said she is "super excited" for her father on receiving the honour.

"So my dad just won the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award 2020 for critical thinking and humanist values. He is the only Indian to have done so. Previous recipients include Bill Maher, Stephen Fry, Ricky Gervais and Christopher Hitchens...," she wrote on Instagram.

"Knowing that Richard Dawkins has been your hero since you read The Selfish Gene, the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award must be extra special for you @Javedakhtarjadu Saab! It''s a truly incredible honour! Congratulations!" Kapoor tweeted.

Dia said Akhtar's win is a proud moment for the country.

"Javed Akhtar Saab has won the the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award 2020 for critical thinking, holding religious dogma upto scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values. He is the only Indian to have won this award! @Javedakhtarjadu Congratulations! You make us proud," Dia wrote.

More For You

Jonas Brothers

Jonas Brothers are among the first to use TikTok’s new bulletin board tool

Getty Images

Jonas Brothers among first to test TikTok bulletin boards in new messaging feature

Quick highlights:

  • TikTok is testing a new one-way messaging feature called bulletin boards.
  • Jonas Brothers, People magazine, and Paris Saint-Germain among early testers.
  • The feature mimics Instagram’s broadcast channels but may expand further.
  • Only creators can post; followers can react with emojis but not comment.

TikTok is trialling a new feature called bulletin boards, allowing select creators and brands to send direct broadcast-style messages to their followers, similar to Instagram’s broadcast channels. The Jonas Brothers, football club Paris Saint-Germain, and People magazine are among the first to test the tool, which shows TikTok’s growing focus on creator-fan intimacy beyond its traditional feed.

Keep ReadingShow less
‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Divides Critics, But Johansson Shines

Scarlett Johansson wins praise in Jurassic World Rebirth as reviews split over story and mutant dinosaurs

Instagram/jurassicworld

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ review roundup: Scarlett Johansson steals the show but critics call it “the worst Jurassic yet”

Quick highlights:

  • Jurassic World Rebirth, starring Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey, releases on 4 July.
  • Twitter reactions praise the cast and visuals but criticise the film’s story and lack of emotional depth.
  • Rotten Tomatoes score stands at 54% from 95 reviews; Metacritic rates it 53.
  • Some fans applaud the Spielberg-style thrills, others feel it strays too far with mutant dinosaurs.

Jurassic World Rebirth, the latest addition to the iconic dinosaur saga, has sparked intense debate online ahead of its 4 July release. With Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey leading the cast, early Twitter reviews show a split audience, some impressed by the action and spectacle, others disappointed by the story’s direction and use of genetically altered dinosaurs.

Keep ReadingShow less
Harry Styles

Mystery woman kissing Harry Styles at Glastonbury revealed as Ella Kenny

Getty Images

Who is Ella Kenny, the mystery woman seen kissing Harry Styles at Glastonbury 2025?

Quick highlights:

• Harry Styles was seen kissing a woman at Glastonbury 2025 in a viral video

Keep ReadingShow less
 Squid Game season 3

Critics praise Squid Game season 3 for its performances and bleak storytelling

Netflix

'Squid Game' season 3 finale sparks backlash as fans call ending rushed and disappointing

Quick highlights:

  • Squid Game season 3 finale premiered on Netflix on 27 June, concluding the global hit series.
  • Fans on X criticised the ending, calling it rushed, unsatisfying, and emotionally hollow.
  • Audience score on Rotten Tomatoes drops to 51%, while critics maintain a solid 81% rating.
  • Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk described the final season as “darker and more hopeless”.

Netflix’s Squid Game may have wrapped up with its third and final season, but many fans are far from satisfied. While critics have praised the final episodes for their intensity and message, a large portion of the audience has taken to social media to criticise what they call a “rushed and meaningless” ending. The divide has become even clearer with the show’s Rotten Tomatoes audience score falling to 51%.

Keep ReadingShow less
Karan Johar & kids

Karan Johar opens up about emotional toll of troll who questioned his single parenthood

Instagram/karanjohar

Karan Johar reveals he broke down after troll accused him of denying kids a mother

Quick highlights:

  • Karan Johar revealed how a troll's comment made him question raising kids without a mother.
  • The filmmaker broke down after reading the remark but found comfort in his children’s response.
  • Yash and Roohi, born via surrogacy in 2017, told him they’re happy “because you’re our dada”.
  • Johar credits his close friends and chosen family for supporting him through parenting challenges.

Karan Johar has shared a deeply personal moment about the emotional toll of being a single parent, revealing how one hurtful online comment briefly made him question his choice to raise his twins without a mother. In a recent interview, the filmmaker recalled breaking down after reading the remark and turning to his children for reassurance.

Keep ReadingShow less