Janhvi Kapoor's BF Shikhar Pahariya On Language Row: 'Can't Keep Marathi Alive Through Fear'

News18

09-07-2025

Shikhar Pahariya argued that even though any language, including Marathi, must be preserved, it cannot be at the cost of someone else's dignity.
Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor's boyfriend, Shikhar Pahariya, has opened up on the rising issues of the language conflict between Hindi and Marathi in Maharashtra. Recently, Shikhar took to his Instagram handle and penned down a long note, explaining that a language cannot be kept alive through fear.
'Asmita, a sense of self and identity, should uplift, not divide. It should give us pride, not prejudice, no matter where in India we are from or what language we speak. Marathi Asmita is real. It is deep, emotional, and rooted in our way of life," he wrote.
Shikhar argued that even though any language, including Marathi, must be preserved, it cannot be at the cost of someone else's dignity. 'As someone from Solapur, I understand this deeply. Language shapes who we are, it has shaped our states, our stories, given us poets, songs, and revolutions. Marathi is no exception. It must be preserved, protected, and passed on, just like all of our languages. But that pride cannot come at the cost of others' dignity. Especially others who are making an honest, hard living," he added.
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A post shared by Shikhar Pahariya (@shikharpahariya)
Janhvi's boyfriend explained that just like migrants are coming to cities like Mumbai and Pune in search of work, even Marathi-speaking people are moving to cities like Delhi or Chennai. 'Imagine if they were made to feel unwelcome there, humiliated for the language they spoke. What would we say then? When people are struggling and working hard, away from their families, this imposition through violent action is unacceptable. It is not a tragedy that people speak Hindi, Tamil, or Gujarati in Mumbai. The real tragedy is believing this is a threat to Marathi. We cannot keep a language alive through fear," he wrote.
'Mumbai, Maharashtra, and India belong to all those who live with dignity, work with honesty, and speak with kindness, whatever their language. Let our Marathi Asmita shine through inclusion, not intimidation. Let us protect Marathi by celebrating it, not weaponising it (sic)", Shikhar shared.
Shikhar Pahariya's post comes at a time when violent measures are being taken by MNS workers against people in Mumbai and Pune who refuse to speak Marathi.
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