Javed Akhtar
| Javed Akhtar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
17 January 1945 Gwalior, Central India Agency, British India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Poet, lyricist, scriptwriter |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children |
Zoya Akhtar Farhan Akhtar |
Javed Akhtar (Hindi: जावेद अख़्तर, Urdu: جاوید اختر) born 17 January 1945) is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Akhtar is a mainstream writer and some of his most successful work was carried out with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed between 1971 to 1982. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri (1999), Padma Bhushan (2007),[1] the Sahitya Akademi Award as well as thirteen Filmfare Awards.
Early life
Javed Akhtar was born in 1945 in Gwalior.[2] His father Jan Nisar Akhtar was a Bollywood film songwriter and Urdu poet, and his mother Safia Akhtar was a singer, teacher and writer.[3][4] His grandfather Muztar Khairabadi was a poet as was his grandfather's elder brother, Bismil Khairabadi, while his great 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.[5] Javed Akhtar's original name was Jadoo, taken from a line in a poem written by his father: "Lamha, lamha kisi jadoo ka fasana hoga". He was given the official name of Javed since it was the closest to the word jadoo.[6] He graduated from Saifiya College in Bhopal.[7]
Career (1971–1982)
Salim met Javed Akhthar for the first time during the making of the film Sarhadi Lootera. Salim was a small-time actor, and Sarhadi Lootera was one of the last films he acted in before he turned his attention to writing. Javed was a clapper boy for the film and was later made the dialogue writer as director S.M. Sagar was unable to find a dialogue writer. While working in this film their friendship began. Salim Khan used to assist writer/director Abrar Alvi at first and Javed Akhtar used to assist Kaifi Azmi. Abrar Alvi and Kaifi Azmi were neighbours, from there on Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar became friends. The duo hit it off well and formed a script-writing team that came to be known as Salim-Javed. Salim used to form stories and plots whereas Javed used to help Salim with the dialogues for those films. They used to brainstorm and come to conclusions regarding the final draft of the film.Akhtar used to write his scripts in Urdu, which were then written out in Hindi by his assistant. Another assistant would type out a one-line summary in English. His association with Salim Khan lasted until 1982.
Initially in the 1970s there was no concept of having the same writer for the screenplay, story and dialogue nor were the writers given any credits in the title. Rajesh Khanna is credited with giving Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar their first chance to become screenplay writers by offering them work in Haathi Mere Saathi.[8] Javed Akhtar accepted in an interview that "One day, he went to Salimsaab and said that Mr. Devar had given him a huge signing amount with which he could complete the payment for his bungalow Aashirwad. But the film was a remake and the script of the original was far from being satisfactory. He told us that if we could set right the script, he would make sure we got both money and credit."[9] Salim-Javed were hired by G. P. Sippy's Sippy Films as resident screenwriters and produced the screenplays for successful films like Andaz, Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay and Don.
Their first big success was the script for Andaz, followed by Adhikar (1971), Haathi Mere Saathi andSeeta Aur Geeta (1972). They also had hits in Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Zanjeer (1973), Haath Ki Safai (1974), Deewaar (1975), Sholay (1975), Premada Kaanike, Chacha Bhatija (1977), Don (1978), Trishul (1978), Manushulu Chesina Dongalu, Yugandhar, Dostana (1980), Kranti (1981), Zamana (1985) and Mr. India (1987). They have worked together in 25 films including 2 Telugu films – Manushulu Chesina Dongalu, Yugandhar and two Kannada films – Premada Kanike and Raja Nanna Raja. Of the 25 films they wrote 21 were hits. The scripts they wrote but which were not successful at box office include Aakhri Dao (1975), Immaan Dharam (1977), Kaala Patthar (1979),Shaan (1980). Though they split in 1982, due to ego issues, some of the scripts they wrote were made into hit films later like Zamana and Mr. India. Salim-Javed, many a time described as "the most successful scriptwriters of all-time",[10] are also noted to be the first scriptwriters in Indian cinema to achieve star status.[11]
Career (1982–present)
Akhtar was nominated to the Parliament upper house Rajya Sabha on 16 November 2009.[12]
Personal life
"There are certain things that I would like to make very clear at the very outset. Don't get carried away by my name – Javed Akhtar. I am not revealing a secret, I am saying something that I have said many times, in writing or on TV, in public…I am an atheist, I have no religious beliefs. And obviously I don't believe in spirituality of some kind."
—Akhtar talking about his religious beliefs.[13]
Akhtar was a Muslim[14] but later became atheist.[15][16] He has brought up his children Farhan and Zoya Akhtar also as atheists.[17]
Akhtar was married to Honey Irani, with whom he had two children, Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar, both film directors and actors. The father-and-son duo have worked together in films such as Dil Chahta Hai, Lakshya, Rock On!! and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara with Zoya. Farhan was married to Adhuna Akhtar, a hair stylist.[18]
Javed divorced Irani and later married Shabana Azmi, the daughter of another Urdu poet, Kaifi Azmi[19]
Awards
Akhthar was awarded the civilian honour of Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1999, followed by the Padma Bhushan in 2007.[1] In 2013, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu, India's second highest literary honour, for his poetry collection Lava.[20]
Filmography
As scriptwriter
- Teamed as Salim-Javed
- As Javed Akhtar
As lyricist
See also
References
- 1 2 "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
- ↑ Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ed. (10 July 2014). Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. Routledge. p. 204. ISBN 978-1-135-94318-9.
- ↑ http://www.poemhunter.com/javed-akhtar/biography/
- ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/on-fathers-day-javed-akhtar-recalls-the-man-who-taught-him-poetry/article6117318.ece
- ↑ http://www.urdushayari.in/2011/11/muztar-khairabadi.html
- ↑ Chopra, Anupama (2000). Sholay: The Making of a Classic. Penguin Books India. p. 16. ISBN 0-14-02997-0X.
- ↑ David John Matthews, ed. (2001). Quiver: Poems and Ghazals. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-81-7223-437-9.
- ↑ http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-19/news-interviews/32731341_1_rajesh-khanna-consecutive-solo-superhits-record-in-indian-film
- ↑ http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/3718/
- ↑ Sholay, through the eyes of Salim Khan, ,Rediff.com
- ↑ Ramesh Dawar (2003), Encyclopaedia of Hindi cinema, Encyclopaedia Britannica (India) Pvt. Ltd.
- ↑ "Javed Akhtar, Dua nominated to Rajya Sabha – India – DNA". Dnaindia.com. 17 November 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ↑ "Eye on England". Telegraphindia.com. 15 July 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
- ↑ Shivam, Vij (16 March 2016). "What Javed Akhtar Is Missing When He Attacks Owaisi". HP Desk. The Huffington Post (India). Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ↑ "Being: Javed Akhtar on the angry young man – Movies News – IBNLive". Ibnlive.in.com. 7 October 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ↑ His bias and hatred towards right wing organization is displayed in most of his interviews or articles. "Spirituality, Halo or Hoax". Javedakhtar.com. 26 February 2005.
There are certain things that I would like to make very clear at the very outset. Don't get carried away by my name – Javed Akhtar. I am not revealing a secret, I am saying something that I have said many times, in writing or on TV, in public…I am an atheist, I have no religious beliefs. And obviously I don't believe in spirituality of some kind. Some kind.
- ↑ "10 Self-Proclaimed Celebrity Atheists | Entertainment | iDiva.com | Page 4". iDiva.com. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
- ↑ "Transcript of the Javed Akhtar Chat". rediff.com. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ↑ "Honey Irani on Divorce, Survival & Shabana Azmi". iDiva.com. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ↑ "Poets dominate Sahitya Akademi Awards 2013". Sahitya Akademi. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
- Chopra, Anupama, Sholay – The Making of a Classic (Penguin Books) 2000 ISBN 0-14-029970-X
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Javed Akhtar. |
- Javed Akhtar Songs, Poetry, Biography
- Javed Akhtar at Kavita Kosh (Hindi)
- Javed Akhtar at the Internet Movie Database
- BBC's Noel Thompson interviews JavedAkhtar on 4 September 2006
- JavedAkhtar.com
- Javed Akhtar at Jakhira.com (Hindi)
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