Javed Akhtar

Javed Akhtar is a towering figure of Indian cinema and letters — a legendary screenwriter, lyricist, poet and public intellectual whose work has shaped Hindi cinema for over half a century. As one half of the fabled Salim–Javed writing duo, he co-wrote some of the most influential Bollywood blockbus.

Javed Akhtar is a towering figure of Indian cinema and letters — a legendary screenwriter, lyricist, poet and public intellectual whose work has shaped Hindi cinema for over half a century. As one half of the fabled Salim–Javed writing duo, he co-wrote some of the most influential Bollywood blockbusters ever made, and as a lyricist he has penned some of its most cherished songs.

The son of the celebrated poet Jan Nisar Akhtar, Javed carries forward a family legacy of Urdu poetry stretching back generations. Beyond films, he is a respected poet, an outspoken advocate for social causes and rationalism, and a member of the Rajya Sabha, India's upper house of Parliament, during his public career.

This page covers the Javed Akhtar biography, age, family, religion, career, famous films and songs, awards and net worth. Honoured with the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan, five National Film Awards for his lyrics and the Sahitya Akademi Award for his poetry, he stands among the most decorated writers in Indian cultural history.

Javed Akhtar was born on 17 January 1945 in Gwalior into a family of poets and writers. His father, Jan Nisar Akhtar, was a noted poet and Bollywood lyricist, and his mother, Safia Akhtar, was a writer and teacher; his lineage includes several generations of distinguished Urdu poets. He was nicknamed "Jadoo" as a child.

He studied at Saifia College in Bhopal. Javed was first married to screenwriter Honey Irani, with whom he has two children — Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar, both acclaimed filmmakers. After that marriage ended, he married actress Shabana Azmi, daughter of poet Kaifi Azmi, in 1984. Though born into a Muslim family, Javed openly identifies as an atheist.

Javed Akhtar is married to actress Shabana Azmi. From his first marriage to Honey Irani he has two children, Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar, both leading filmmakers. He is well known for his atheism and rationalist views, and for his outspoken advocacy on social and political issues.

Among the most frequently searched topics about Javed Akhtar are his religion, his age, his sons and daughter, and his views on society. Though born into a Muslim family, he has for decades openly described himself as an atheist and a humanist, and has spoken candidly about overcoming an early struggle with alcohol. His household is one of Indian cinema's most remarkable creative dynasties, spanning his poet father Jan Nisar Akhtar, his wife Shabana Azmi, his former wife and screenwriter Honey Irani, and his filmmaker children Farhan and Zoya, making the Akhtar name synonymous with several generations of artistic achievement.

Across a career spanning more than five decades as a screenwriter, lyricist and poet, Javed Akhtar's net worth is reported to run into hundreds of crores of rupees. His income has come from screenwriting and songwriting, royalties, book publishing, public appearances and investments.

As with most public figures, no official figure has been disclosed, so any specific number circulating online should be treated as an unverified media estimate.

Javed Akhtar is not merely a lyricist or screenwriter but one of the most consequential cultural figures in modern India. As half of the Salim–Javed partnership, he helped rewrite the grammar of Hindi cinema in the 1970s, crafting the "angry young man" and a run of blockbusters — Zanjeer, Deewaar, Sholay, Don — that still define popular film storytelling in India decades later.

His second act as a lyricist has been equally remarkable. Debuting with Silsila, he brought literary sophistication and emotional precision to film songs, winning an unprecedented five National Film Awards for Best Lyrics. Songs like "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha", "Sandese Aate Hain" and "Panchhi Nadiya Pawan Ke Jhonke" are studied for their poetic craft as much as they are loved by the public.

Beyond cinema, Javed is a distinguished Urdu poet whose collection Lava earned the Sahitya Akademi Award, and a fearless public intellectual who has championed secularism, rationalism, women's rights and, crucially, authors' and lyricists' royalty rights in India. Honoured with the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, he carries forward a family legacy of poetry stretching back generations while remaining a defining voice of his own era.

Over the years, Javed Akhtar has earned wide recognition, including:

Padma Shri (1999)

Padma Bhushan (2007)

Five National Film Awards for Best Lyrics (Saaz, Border, Godmother, Refugee, Lagaan)

Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu poetry (2013)

Numerous Filmfare Awards