Scriptwriters Salim-Javed Bollywood writers Salim Khan (right) and Javed Akhtar (left), known professionally as Salim-Javed, in Mumbai, 2013. (more) Salim-Javed Indian scriptwriting duo Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Salim-Javed Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Gitanjali Roy Gitanjali Roy is senior editor, Encyclopaedia Britannica. She has over two decades of editorial experience across digital and broadcast media. Gitanjali Roy Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Feb 25, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Quick Facts In full: Salim Abdul Rashid Khan and Javed Akhtar (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who are Salim-Javed? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Salim-Javed are a legendary Indian scriptwriting duo consisting of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. They collaborated on more than 20 films, including landmark movies such as Sholay (1975) and Deewaar (1975; u201CWallu201D)." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who is the angry young man in Salim-Javedu2019s films? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The angry young man is an antiestablishment hero who emerged in Salim-Javed films during the mid-1970s to early 1980s, reflecting the socioeconomic realities of the time. Amitabh Bachchan popularized this character, especially in films such as Zanjeer (1973) and Deewaar." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is significant about the film Sholay? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Sholay is a landmark film that marked the peak of both Amitabh Bachchan and Salim-Javedu2019s careers. It became a massive box office success, earning 30 crore rupees (more than $350 million in 2025 dollars) in the several years after its release and held the record for top-grossing Hindi film for 19 years." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What happened to Salim-Javedu2019s partnership? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar ended their partnership in the mid-1980s. They continued working separately, with Khan writing films such as Naam (1986) and Akhtar becoming a successful lyricist and writer for films such as Lagaan (2001)." } } ] } Top Questions Who are Salim-Javed? Salim-Javed are a legendary Indian scriptwriting duo consisting of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. They collaborated on more than 20 films, including landmark movies such as Sholay (1975) and Deewaar (1975; “Wall”).

　　Who is the angry young man in Salim-Javed’s films? The angry young man is an antiestablishment hero who emerged in Salim-Javed films during the mid-1970s to early 1980s, reflecting the socioeconomic realities of the time. Amitabh Bachchan popularized this character, especially in films such as Zanjeer (1973) and Deewaar.

　　What is significant about the film Sholay? Sholay is a landmark film that marked the peak of both Amitabh Bachchan and Salim-Javed’s careers. It became a massive box office success, earning 30 crore rupees (more than $350 million in 2025 dollars) in the several years after its release and held the record for top-grossing Hindi film for 19 years.

　　What happened to Salim-Javed’s partnership? Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar ended their partnership in the mid-1980s. They continued working separately, with Khan writing films such as Naam (1986) and Akhtar becoming a successful lyricist and writer for films such as Lagaan (2001).

　　Salim-Javed are a legendary Indian scriptwriting duo who collaborated on more than 20 films, including the landmark movies Sholay (1975; “Embers”) and Deewaar (1975; “Wall”). They achieved a level of stardom and influence in Bollywood that no other writers have. Salim-Javed are: Khan moved to Bombay (now Mumbai) from Indore in about 1960 and acted in about 16 films. By the late 1960s he had transferred his interest from acting to writing and scripted Do Bhai (1969; “Two Brothers”), under his stage name, Prince Salim. Akhtar’s father, Jan Nisar Akhtar, grandfather, Muzter Khairabadi, and uncle Majaz were well-regarded Urdu poets. ...(100 of 1120 words)

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