Javed Akhtar (born 17 January 1945) is an Indian political activist, poet, lyricist and

screenwriter. He is originally from the Gwalior area. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri
(1999), Padma Bhushan (2007),[1] the Sahitya Akademi Award as well as five National Film
Awards.[2] In the early part of his career, he was a screenplay writer, creating films such as
Deewar, Zanjeer and Sholay. Later, he left screenplay-writing and became a lyricist and
social-political activist .[3] He also remained a member of Rajya Sabha.[4] In 2020, he
received the Richard Dawkins Award for his contribution to secularism, free thinking, for
critical thinking, holding religious dogma up to scrutiny, advancing human progress and
humanist values.[5][6] Javed Akhtar was chosen as a recipient for the Richard Dawkins Award
for being "the bright light for reason, freethought, and atheism in a dark time". [7][8]

Contents
 1 Early life
 2 Career
o 2.1 1971–1982
o 2.2 1982–present
 3 Personal life
 4 Awards and nominations
 5 Works
o 5.1 Bibliography
o 5.2 Filmography
 5.2.1 As screenwriter
 5.2.2 As lyricist
 6 See also
 7 References
 8 External links

Early life
Javed Akhtar was born in 1945 in Gwalior.[9] His father Jan Nisar Akhtar was a Bollywood
film songwriter and Urdu poet.[10] 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.[citation needed] 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.[11]
He spent most of his childhood and was schooled in Lucknow. He graduated from Saifiya
College in Bhopal.[12]

Akhtar was greatly inspired by Pakistani author Ibn-e-Safi's Urdu novels, which he grew up
reading as a child. Akhtar was particularly influenced by the Jasoosi Dunya and Imran series
of detective novels, such as The House of Fear (1955). He was influenced by their fast action,
tight plots, economies of expression, fascinating characters with catchy memorable names,
and speaking styles. Two of the earliest films he remembered watching both starred Dilip
Kumar: Shaheed Latif's Arzoo (1950) and Mehboob Khan's Aan (1952). Other films that
influenced him as a child include Bimal Roy's Do Bigha Zameen (1953), Satyen Bose's
Jagriti (1954), Shree 420 (1955) directed by Raj Kapoor and written by Khwaja Ahmad
Abbas, Munimji (1955) directed by Subodh Mukherjee and written by Nasir Hussain, and
Mehboob Khan's Mother India (1957).[13]

Career
1971–1982

Main article: Salim-Javed

Initially, in the 1970s, there was generally no concept of having the same writer for the
screenplay, story and dialogue, nor were the writers given any credits in the titles. 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.[14] Javed Akhtar stated 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." [15]

Their first big success was the script for Andaz, followed by Adhikar (1971), Haathi Mere
Saathi and Seeta Aur Geeta (1972). They also had hits with Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973),
Zanjeer (1973), Haath Ki Safai (1974), Deewaar (1975), Sholay (1975), Chacha Bhatija
(1977), Don (1978), Trishul (1978), Dostana (1980), Kranti (1981), Zamana (1985) and Mr.
India (1987). They have worked together in 24 films including two Kannada films –
Premada Kanike and Raja Nanna Raja. Of the 24 films they wrote, 20 were hits. The scripts
they wrote, but which were not successful at box office include Aakhri Dao (1975), Immaan
Dharam (1977), Kaala Patthar (1979) and Shaan (1980). Though they split in 1982, due to
ego issues, some of the scripts they wrote were made into hit films later, such as Zamana and
Mr. India. Salim-Javed, many a time described as "the most successful scriptwriters of all-
time",[16] are also noted to be the first scriptwriters in Indian cinema to achieve star status.[17]

1982–present

Akhtar was nominated to the Parliament upper house Rajya Sabha on 16 November 2009.[18]

Personal life
"that I would like to make very clear at the very outset. Don't get carried away by my name –
Javed. I am not revealing a secret, I am saying something that I have said many times, in
writing o I love Altaf Hussan And obviously I don't believe in spirituality of some kind."

—Akhtar talking about his religious beliefs.[19]

Akhtar was raised an atheist.[20] He has brought up his children Farhan and Zoya Akhtar as
atheists.[21]

Akhtar was married to Honey Irani, with whom he had two children, Farhan Akhtar, a film
actor, producer, director[22] and Zoya Akhtar, a film writer, director and producer.[23] 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.[24]

Javed married Shabana Azmi, the daughter of Urdu poet, Kaifi Azmi and later divorced
Irani.[25]

Awards and nominations

Javed 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.[26] In 2019, he
was conferred with an honorary doctorate (Doctor of Letters) by the Jamia Hamdard
University.[27] In 2020 he was awarded the Richard Dawkins Award for being a "powerful
force for secularism, reason, and human rights, challenging superstition and intolerance
through his work in poetry, screenwriting, and political activism". [28][7]

Year Award Category Outcome Work Notes

National Film
1996 Best Lyrics Won Saaz
Awards
National Film
1997 Best Lyrics Won Border
Awards
National Film
1998 Best Lyrics Won Godmother
Awards
National Film
2000 Best Lyrics Won Refugee
Awards
National Film
2001 Best Lyrics Won Lagaan
Awards
Filmfare "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha" from
1995 Best Lyrics Won
Awards 1942: A Love Story
Filmfare "Ghar Se Nikalte" from Papa
1997 Best Lyrics Won
Awards Kehte Hai
Filmfare
1989 Best Lyrics Nominated "Ek Do Teen" from Tezaab
Awards
Filmfare
1990 Best Dialogue Won Main Azaad Hoon
Awards
Filmfare "Sandese Aate Hai" from
1998 Best Lyrics Won
Awards Border
Filmfare
1998 Best Lyrics Nominated "Chand Taare" from Yes Boss
Awards
Filmfare "Mere Mehboob Mere Sanam"
1999 Best Lyrics Nominated
Awards from Duplicate
Filmfare
1984 Best Story Nominated Betaab
Awards
Filmfare
1985 Best Story Nominated Mashaal
Awards
Year Award Category Outcome Work Notes
Filmfare
1986 Best Story Nominated Arjun
Awards
Filmfare "Panchchi Nadiyaan" from
2001 Best Lyrics Won
Awards Refugee
Filmfare "Radha Kaise Naa Jale" from
2002 Best Lyrics Won
Awards Lagaan
Filmfare
2002 Best Lyrics Nominated "Mitwa" from Lagaan
Awards
Album of The Year Nominated Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
"Khwabon Ke Parindey" from
Won [29][30]
2011 Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Lyricist of The Year "Senorita" from Zindagi Na
Nominated
Milegi Dobara
Mirchi Music [31]
2012 Won "Jee Le Zara" from Talaash
Awards
Lifetime [32]
2014 Won -
Achievement Award
Album of The Year Nominated Dil Dhadakne Do
[33]
2015 "Phir Bhi Yeh Zindagi" from
Lyricist of The Year Nominated
Dil Dhadakne Do