There was a time when Indian intellectuals and artists - especially those aligned with the left - were seen as voices of conscience in a complex democracy. They questioned power, challenged communalism and championed cross-border peace. Today, many of those same figures stand exposed.

The descent of writer and poet Javed Akhtar is only the most visible symptom of this malaise. Once admired across the subcontinent for his sharp wit and lyrical flair, he now appears consumed by bitterness, with his public appearances punctuated with jabs at........

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