Javed Akhtar is an Indian poet, lyricist, and screenwriter. He is one of the most successful scriptwriters of Bollywood and is noted to be the first scriptwriters to achieve the star status.

Wiki/Biography

Javed Akhtar was born on 17 January 1945 (age 74 years; as in 2019) in the Gwalior city of Madhya Pradesh. His zodiac sign is Capricorn.

Javed’s original name was ‘Jadoo (magic)’ taken from his father’s poem “Lamha, lamha kisi jadoo ka fasana hoga (Each moment will be a story of the magic).” He was given the official name ‘Javed’ as it was closest to the word ‘Jadoo.’ He studied in Colvin Taluqdars’ College, Lucknow when he was six.

He completed his schooling from Minto Circle School, Aligarh and graduated (Bachelors in Arts) from Saifiya College in Bhopal.

Physical Appearance

Height: 5′ 5″

Eye Colour: Dark Brown

Hair Colour: White

Family, Caste & Wife

Javed Akhtar belongs to a Muslim family. His father Jan Nisar Akhtar was Bollywood film songwriter and poet. His mother Safia Akhtar was a singer, songwriter, and writer.

Javed Akhtar’s grandfather Muztar Khairabadi and his elder brother Bismil Khairabadi were poets. His great-grandfather Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi was a scholar of Islamic studies and theology and played an important role in the first independence movement of India in 1857. Javed has two brothers, Salman Akhtar and Shahid Akhtar and two sisters named Uneza Akhtar and Albina.

He married Honey Irani in 1972. Honey and Javed have two children Farhan Akhtar (film director and actor) and Zoya Akhtar (film director and screenwriter).

Javed and Honey divorced in 1985 and later married actress Shabana Azmi.

Javed Akhtar has two granddaughters Shakiya and Akira.

Career

Javed Akhtar started his career as a screenplay writer along with Salim Khan from the movie “Andaz (1971).”

From the year 1971 to 1981, Javed and Salim Khan worked together as Javed-Salim in the movies. The duo created movies like Zanjeer (1973), Deewaar (1975), Sholay (1975), Don (1978), Dostana (1980), and Kranti (1981). The duo had a spit in 1982 due to ego issues. In 1983, Javed made his debut as a solo screenwriter with the movie “Betaab(1983).”

His debut as a lyricist with the movie “Silsila (1981).”

Controversies

• The film “PM Narendra Modi” trailer had the name of Javed Akhtar in credits for writing the lyrics for the song “Ishwar-Allah (originally taken from 1947- Earth). The song is the exact copy of the original with only minor changes. However, Javed Akhtar took his Twitter account to deny any contributions to the lyrics. However, producer of the film Sandeep Singh clarified that Javed Akhtar wrote the lyrics of the song, which is used in the movie; that was why Javed had been attributed in the film.

  Javed Akhtar’s Tweet On PM Narendra Modi

• Javed once sent a court notice to the Singer Amaal Malik and T-Series for not giving due votes credit to the original writers of the 90s famous song ‘Ghar Se Nikalte Hi.’ The singer slammed at them for crediting ‘Kunal Vermaa’ as the lyricist. The lyrics of the songs were altered except the hook phrase. Javed slammed a notice with a claim of staggering Rs 10 crore from the addressees and inclusion of names of the original creators of the song.

• Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan went to the Bombay high court against the producers of the film Zanjeer (2013). The film was the remake of 1973 film Zanjeer, which was written by Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan. They contended that they retained the copyright over the ‘literary work,’ i.e., the script, so the film required their permission.

• Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi faced a backlash after their comments over the controversy going over the film “Padmaavat (2018).” The couple said,
  

  now this is the new Taliban and Talibani diktat. This should be opposed… Secular Hindus should come out openly against it. These royal families never fought with the Britishers, why are they coming out on the roads in protest now.. I am willing to agree with any poor Rajput but not any of these Rajput royals…”

Awards & Honours

• Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2007

  Javed Akhtar Receiving Padma Bhushan

• Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1999

• Nagrik Samman by Mayor of Bhopal 2002

• Honorary Doctorate from Pondicherry University – Doctor of Letters (bonoris causa) in 2010.

National Awards

• Best Lyrics for the film “Saaz” in 1996

  Javed Akhtar Receiving National Award

• Best Lyrics for the film “Border” in 1997

• Best Lyrics for the film “Godmother” in 1998

• Best Lyrics for the film “Refugee” in 2000

• Best Lyrics for the film “Lagaan” in  2001

Filmfare Awards

• Best Lyrics for the song “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha” from 1942: A Love Story” in 1995

  Javed Akhtar With His Filmfare Awards

• Best Lyrics for the song “Ghar Se Nikalte” from Papa Kehte Hai” in 1997

• Best Lyrics for the song “Sandese Aate Hai” from Border” in 1998

• Best Lyrics for the song “Panchchi Nadiyaan” from Refugee in 2001

• Best Lyrics for the song “Mitwa” from Lagaan in 2002

• Best Lyrics for the song “Kal Ho Naa Ho” from Kal Ho Naa Ho in 2004

• Best Lyrics for the song “Tere Liye” from Veer-Zaara in 2005

• Best Lyrics for the song “Jashn-E-Bahara” from Jodhaa Akbar in 2009

• Best Screenplay for the movie “Zanjeer” in 1974

• Best Screenplay for the movie “Deewaar” in 1976

• Best Screenplay for the movie “Shakti” in 1983

• Best Story for the movie “Zanjeer” in 1974

• Best Story for the movie “Deewaar” in 1976

• Best Dialogues for the film “Deewaar” in 1976

• Best Dialogues for the film “Main Azaad Hoon” in 1990

• Lifetime achievement in 2007

Favourite Things

• Poem: Mera Safar by Sardar Ali Jafri

• Songwriter: Sahir Ludhianvi

• Food: Kebab, Aloo Gosht Ka Shorba, Biryani, Vanilla Ice-Creams

Facts

• Javed was born as a Muslim, but he proclaims himself as an atheist and has brought up his son Farhan and daughter Zoya as an atheist.

• Javed came to Mumbai in 1964, in hopes of making it big in Bollywood. He had no food to eat and no place to sleep. After spending his night under trees or corridors, he finally found a place to stay in Kamal Amrohi Studio in Jogeshwari.

• Salim Khan and Javed first met on the sets of “Sarhadi Lootera,” where Salim was an actor and Javed was Clapper boy. Later, Javed was promoted to dialogue writer.

• Salim Khan used to generate ideas and Javed used to frame the dialogues. Javed wrote dialogues in Urdu and an assistant used to translate them to Hindi.

  Javed Akhtar And Salim Khan

• Though the duo split in 1982, some of the scripts they had written early were made into hit films like, “Zamana (1985) and “Mr India (1987).

• Akhtar used to assist Urdu Poet Kaifi Azmi and visited his house frequently. It was then when Kaifi’s daughter Shabana Azmi and Javed started seeing each other. Honey Irani came to know about his relationship with Shabana and asked him to leave. The couple separated in 1978 and divorced in 1985.

• The first song he wrote was “Dekha Ek Khwab” from the movie “Silsila (1981).”

• During his college days, he was a good debater. He won Rotary Club Prize for three years consecutively. He even won several inter-college debates and also represented Vikram University at the National Youth Festival in Delhi.

• Through Javed’s and Salim’s script “Zanzeer,” Amitabh Bachchan got his iconic title of “Angry-Young Man.” As it was the first film to introduce that personality of him.