Javed Akhtar (; born 17 January 1945) is an Indian screenwriter, lyricist, poet, and political activist. Renowned for his extensive work in Hindi cinema, he has won five National Film Awards and sixteen Filmfare Awards. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2007, two of India's highest civilian honours. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest screenwriters and lyricists in the history of Indian cinema.
Akhtar first gained prominence as one half of the screenwriting duo Salim–Javed, alongside Salim Khan. The pair achieved their breakthrough with Zanjeer (1973) and went on to pen several landmark films, including Deewaar (1975) and Sholay (1975). These works achieved cult status and had a lasting influence on Indian popular culture, particularly through their portrayal of the "angry young man" archetype. Following the duo’s split in the early 1980s, Akhtar transitioned into lyric writing, earning acclaim for his poetic and socially conscious lyrics.
In addition to his film career, Akhtar has been an outspoken public intellectual and activist, known for his advocacy of secularism, freedom of expression, and gender equality. He has written and spoken extensively on issues of religion, human rights, and rationalism. Akhtar served as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha from 2010 to 2016, representing the arts. He also publicly supported the Communist Party of India (CPI) during the 2019 Indian general election. For his contributions to literature, film, and free thought, he became the first Indian to receive the Richard Dawkins Award in 2020.
In 2024, Amazon Prime Video released a three-part documentary series titled Angry Young Men, focusing on the partnership between Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. The documentary explores their creative process, personal relationship, and the enduring impact of their films on Indian cinema.
In December 2025, Akhtar participated in a public philosophical debate titled Does God Exist? at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, where he discussed questions of faith, morality, and human suffering with Islamic scholar Shamail Nadwi. Approaching the issue from an atheist perspective, Akhtar questioned the idea of divine justice, particularly in the context of civilian suffering in conflict zones. The debate attracted wide media coverage and public discussion in India and abroad.
Early life
Javed Akhtar was born in 1945 in Gwalior. His father Jan Nisar Akhtar was a songwriter in Hindi films and an Urdu poet. His paternal 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 religious scholar of Islam. 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 close to the word jadoo. He spent most of his childhood and was schooled in Lucknow. He graduated from Saifiya College in Bhopal.
Career as scriptwriter
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. 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."
Their first big success was the script for Andaz (1971), followed by Haathi Mere Saathi (1971) 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. Their scripts which were not successful at box office include Adhikar (1971), Aakhri Dao (1975), Immaan Dharam (1977) 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",Sholay, through the eyes of Salim Khan, , Rediff.com are also noted to be the first scriptwriters in Indian cinema to achieve star status.Ramesh Dawar (2003), Encyclopaedia of Hindi cinema , Encyclopædia Britannica (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Personal life
Akhtar was nominated to the Parliament upper house Rajya Sabha on 16 November 2009. Akhtar was married to Honey Irani, with whom he had two children, Farhan Akhtar, a film actor, producer, director and Zoya Akhtar, a film writer, director and producer. 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 previously married to hair stylist Adhuna Akhtar, they divorced in 2017, and he is currently married to actress and singer Shibani Dandekar.
Despite having an Islamic upbringing, Akhtar declared himself to be an "equal opportunity atheist" who is against all faiths, and also brought up his children Farhan and Zoya Akhtar as atheists. However, he continues to identify as a "cultural Muslim" because of his heritage associated with the Islamic civilization.
Akhtar married Shabana Azmi, the daughter of Urdu poet, Kaifi Azmi and later divorced Irani. Akhtar's uncle, Asrar-ul-Haq "Majaz" was also an Urdu poet. His uncle, Ansar Harvani, was a member of the Indian independence movement and an elected Member of Parliament. Akhtar's aunt, Hamida Salim, was an Indian author, economist and educator as well.
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. In 2013, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu, India's second highest literary honour, for his poetry collection Lava."Poets dominate Sahitya Akademi Awards 2013" . Sahitya Akademi. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013. In 2019, he was conferred with an honorary doctorate (Doctor of Letters) by the Jamia Hamdard University. 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". In 2023, he received Viswambhara Dr C Narayana Reddy National Literary Award for his contributions to Urdu literature
National Film Awards Year Category Outcome Work Notes 1996 Best Lyrics Saaz 1997 Border 1998 Godmother 2000 Refugee 2001 Lagaan
Filmfare Awards
Year Category Outcome Work Notes 1974 Best Screenplay Zanjeer As "Salim-Javed" All Filmfare Awards Winners. https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards/winners 1974 Best Story Zanjeer 1976 Deewar1976 Best Dialogue Deewar 1976 Best Screenplay Deewar 1983 Shakti 1984 Best Story Betaab 1985 Mashaal 1986 Arjun 1989 Best Lyricist "Ek Do Teen" from Tezaab 1990 Best Dialogue Main Azaad Hoon 1995 Best Lyricist "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha" from 1942: A Love Story 1997 "Ghar Se Nikalte" from Papa Kehte Hai 1998 "Sandese Aate Hai" from Border 1998 "Chand Taare" from Yes Boss 1999 "Mere Mehboob Mere Sanam" from Duplicate 2001 "Panchchi Nadiyaan" from Refugee 2002 "Mitwa" from Lagaan 2002 "Radha Kaise Na Jale" from Lagaan 2004 "Kal Ho Na Hoo" from Kal Ho Naa Ho 2005 "Tere Liye" from Veer-Zaara 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award rowspan="1" 2009 Best Lyricist "Jashn-E-Bahaara" from Jodhaa Akbar
Mirchi Music Awards
Year Category Outcome Work Notes 2011 Album of The Year Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Lyricist of The Year "Khwabon Ke Parindey" from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara "Senorita" from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara 2012 "Jee Le Zara" from Talaash 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award - 2015 Album of The Year Dil Dhadakne Do Lyricist of The Year "Phir Bhi Yeh Zindagi" from Dil Dhadakne Do
Filmography
Work as part of Salim-Javed partnership (1971-1982) Year Film Language Director Cast Notes 1971 Andaz Hindi Ramesh Sippy Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Shammi Kapoor, Simi Garewal Written as "Salim-Javed"
Although the Salim–Javed partnership ended in 1982, two of their screenplays that had been completed earlier - Zamana and Mr. India, were released after their split. Adhikar Hindi S.M. Sagar Ashok Kumar, Nanda, Deb Mukherjee Haathi Mere Saathi M. A. Thirumugham Rajesh Khanna, Tanuja 1972 Seeta Aur Geeta Ramesh Sippy Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar 1973 Yaadon Ki Baaraat Nasir Hussain Dharmendra, Zeenat Aman, Vijay Arora, Tariq Khan Zanjeer Prakash Mehra Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri, Pran 1974 Majboor Ravi Tandon Amitabh Bachchan, Parveen Babi, Pran Haath Ki Safai Prakash Mehra Randhir Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, Hema Malini, Simi Garewal, Ranjeet 1975 Deewaar Yash Chopra Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh Sholay Ramesh Sippy Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri Aakhri Dao A. Salaam Jeetendra, Saira Banu, Danny Denzongpa 1976 Premada Kanike Kannada V. Somashekhar Rajkumar, Aarathi Raja Nanna Raja A. V. Seshagiri Rao 1977 Immaan Dharam Hindi Desh Mukherjee Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Sanjeev Kumar, Rekha Chacha Bhatija Manmohan Desai Dharmendra, Randhir Kapoor, Hema Malini 1978 Trishul Yash Chopra Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Hema Malini Don Chandra Barot Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Pran 1979 Kaala Patthar Yash Chopra Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Rakhee Gulzar, Shatrughan Sinha, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh 1980 Dostana Raj Khosla Amitabh Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha, Zeenat Aman, Pran (actor), Amrish Puri Shaan Ramesh Sippy Sunil Dutt, Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Rakhee Gulzar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda 1981 Kranti Manoj Kumar Manoj Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Hema Malini, Shashi Kapoor, Shatrughan Sinha, Parveen Babi 1982 Shakti Ramesh Sippy Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Raakhee, Anil Kapoor 1985 Zamana Ramesh Talwar Rajesh Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Poonam Dhillon, Ranjeeta Kaur 1987 Mr. India Shekhar Kapur Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Amrish Puri
Solo work Year Film Language Director Cast Notes 1969 Yakeen Hindi Brij Sadanah Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore Dialogues only 1983 Betaab Rahul Rawail Sunny Deol, Amrita Singh Written as "Javed Akhtar" 1984 Duniya Ramesh Talwar Dilip Kumar, Rishi Kapoor, Amrita Singh Mashaal Yash Chopra Dilip Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Waheeda Rehman 1985 Arjun Rahul Rawail Sunny Deol, Dimple Kapadia SaagarRamesh Sippy Rishi Kapoor, Kamal Haasan, Dimple Kapadia Meri Jung Subhash Ghai Anil Kapoor, Meenakshi Sheshadri 1987 Dacait Rahul Rawail Sunny Deol, Meenakshi Sheshadri 1989 Joshilaay Sibte Hassan Rizvi, Shekhar Kapur Sunny Deol, Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Meenakshi Sheshadri Main Azaad Hoon Tinnu Anand Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi 1992 Khel Rakesh Roshan Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit 1993 Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja Satish Kaushik Anil Kapoor, Sridevi 1995 Prem Sanjay Kapoor, Tabu 1998 Kabhi Na KabhiPriyadarshanAnil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff 2004 Lakshya Farhan Akhtar Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Amitabh Bachchan 2006 Don: The Chase Begins Again Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra Remake of Don (1978)
Work as lyricist
Silsila (1981) Saath Saath (1982) Duniya (1984) Mashaal (1984) Saagar (1985) Arjun (1985) Mr. India (1987) Tezaab (1988) Jaadugar (1989) Joshilaay (1989) Mil Gayee Manzil Mujhe (1989) Sailaab (1990) Jamai Raja (1990) Hafta Bandh (1991) Narsimha (1991) Khel (1992) Drohi (1992) Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993)