Javed Akhtar Announces New Collaboration With Salim Khan After Four Decades: Will Write One More Film Together

The powerful and the most influential writers of the 70s- Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, known for writing blockbuster films like 'Sholay', 'Deewar', 'Zanjeer' and 'Don', among others parted ways while they were working on the script of 'Mr India'. The Anil Kapoor starrer was their last collaboration. Together they wrote 24 films, out of which 22 were blockbusters. The writer duo might return as writing partners after four decades of parting ways. Today, at the trailer launch event of their docuseries, 'Angry Young Men', Javed Akhtar said he and Salim Khan are considering writing one more film together. 

Javed Akhtar said, “We are going to write (the script) now. I have spoken to Salim, ek picture hum aur likh de (let us write one more film together). Uss zamane mein bhi humari price zyada thi, iss zamane mein toh bohot bhi zyada hogi. Woh dekh lijiyega (We used to charge a lot back then, we will charge even more now. Do consider that).”

Salim-Javed is known for revolutionising Hindi cinema in the 1970s. 'Angry Young Men' will explore their timeless legacy as legendary screenwriters and their partnership and why they ended it.

Earlier, in an interview with BBC News Hindi, Javed recalled why they stopped working together. The lyricist said that during their struggling days, they were like one team and had no friends. They used to spend 15-16 hours with each other. But as they became successful, new people came into their lives and their friend's circle got separated. The mental rapport they shared broke and the duo could no longer work as a team.

Javed and Salim were the highest paid screenwriters of the 70s. They were the one who created the 'angry young man' archetype which we witnessed in many Amitabh Bachchan films from the 1970s and 1980s.