India, Oct. 6 -- Javed Akhtar has spent much of his career questioning things people often take for granted. That instinct extends well beyond cinema and songwriting. In a conversation with Express Hindi with Saurabh Dwivedi, the veteran writer and lyricist spoke at length about religion, faith and atheism, and why he remains skeptical of beliefs that are accepted simply because they have been inherited.

Javed Akhtar acknowledged that religion can provide solace during difficult periods in life. However, he questioned whether the emotional comfort people draw from faith serves as actual proof that their religious beliefs are true. The writer considered this reliance to be an artificial foundation. He explained that individuals often clin...