24th March 2001, 08:32 AM
Son of Well-known Urdu poet and film lyricist Jan Nisar Akhtar and Safia Akhtar, teacher and writer, Javed Akhtar belongs to a lineage that can be traced back to seven generations of writers. The highly respected Urdu poet, Majaz was his mother's brother and the work of Muzter Khairabadi , his grandfather, is lookedupon as a milestone in Urdu Poetry.
Both Jan Nisar Akhtar & Safia Akhtar were professors at Hamidia College-Bhopal. Javed Akhtar did his schooling at the Cambridge School-Bhopal, Calvin Talukadar College-Lucknow, Minto Circle-Aligarh, and graduated from Saifiya College-Bhopal in 1964.
Alongwith his ex-partner, Salim, he scripted super hits like, 'Zanjeer', 'Deewar','
Sholay', 'Haathi Mere Saathi', 'Seeta Aur Geeta', 'Don', 'Trishul', etc. Salim-Javed
as a writer-duo gave to Amitabh Bachchan and to Indian Cinema the memorable
persona of the 'Angry Young Man'.
After the split from his partner Salim (in 1981), he has written a list of successful
films, notable amongst them are; 'Sagar', 'Mr. India', 'Betaab', 'Arjun', etc.
Javed Akhtar has won the prestigious Filmfare Award ten times, seven times for Best Script, and thrice for Best Lyrics for ' Ek Ladki Ko Dekha...' in '1942-A Love Story' and for 'Ghar Se Nikalte Hi....' for 'Papa Kahte Hain' and 'Sandese Aate Hain....' for 'Border'. He has won the 1995 &1997 Screen Videocon Awards. He also won first 'ZEE AWARD' for BEST LYRICIST for 'Sandese Aate Hain' from the film 'Border'.
His songs from the film 'Silsila', 'Mr. India', 'Saagar', and Tezaab' have been
extremely popular, particularly the number 'Ek Do Teen.....', which became a trend
setter. His lyrics in the film '1942 - A Love Story' especially the song 'Ek Ladki Ko
Dekha...' revived the long lost trend of film songs with clean literary flavour.
Javed has won the 1996 National Award for Best Lyricist for the film 'SAAZ' and 1997 National Award for 'Border'. It was a hat-trick when he again won the National Award in 1998 for "Godmother".
Javed has collaborated with Mr. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on a ghazal album titled
'Sangam'. This album has had a record sale and is the most successful Ghazal
album. His second music album "Tum yaad aaye" was the highest selling non-film
album of the year 1997. The third album "Silsilay", along with Mr. Jagjit Singh went for roaring heights. The blend of Javed Akhtar and Jagjit Singh was so effective that the album did not only become popular, but also became Jagjit Singh's highest ever selling Ghazal Album. Javed Akhtar's latest "Breathless" with a new singer Mr. Shanker Mahadevan is again an example of trend setting and is the top music album of 1998.
Javed Akhtar started writing Urdu poetry in 1980. His first collection of Nazms and
Ghazals entitled, 'TARKASH' has had a very successful release in 1995. It is already in its seventh edition in Hindi, and fourth edition in Urdu. It has received rave reviews both as a book and as India's first audio book (available on cassettes and CD) brought out by PLUS MUSIC. The audiobook has sold more than a hundred thousand copies.
TARKASH has been translated in Bengali by the noted Bengali author SUNIL
GANGOPADHYAYA. The celebrated painter M.F. HUSAIN has painted sixteen
canvases based on Javed Akhtar's poems in TARKASH.
He has written a large number of poems against communalism, social injustice,
National Integration and for Women's Rights. His song, beckoning the misguided
youth to come forward and build the country, has been declared the National
Anthem for Youth by Ministry of Human Resource Development in 1995.
He is a founder member of the respected MUSLIM INTELLEGENTSIA-a group
that has been vocal against fundamentalism of all hues and seeks to lead the
Muslims to concentrate on education and women's rights. Javed Akhtar has
addressed many public meetings at prestigious venues such as Jawaharlal Nehru
University Delhi, Aligarh Muslim University.
In May 1996, he was invited by the Universities of HARVARD (Boston)
COLUMBIA (New York) MARYLAND (Washington) and CHICAGO to recite
poems from 'Tarkash' and speak on the "secular element in Urdu poetry".
He has also held a series of solo poetry recitations from 'Tarkash' at Bombay
University, Pune University and has addressed a wide cross section of audiences at
Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Pune.
In September 1996 he held similar recitations on an invitation from the association
of post graduate students of the department for Oriental studies, Universities of
London and Cambridge (UK).
In 1999, the President of India honoured Javed Akhtar with the title of "Padmashree" for his literary contribution.
Javed Akhtar is an avid reader with a keen interest in politics. His poetry reflects both his political awareness and his literary concerns.
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