Salim-Javed and Amitabh Bachchan worked together in several films.
Javed Akhtar reflects on Amitabh Bachchan’s unparalleled talent, discipline, and the legacy of the ‘Angry Young Man’ persona in Indian cinema.
Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of the ‘Angry Young Man’ is a defining moment in Indian cinema. It all began with Zanjeer, where his character, Inspector Vijay Khanna, sternly declared, “Yeh Police Station hai… tumhare baap ka ghar nahi.” This iconic dialogue, penned by the celebrated screenwriting duo Salim-Javed, marked the start of Bachchan’s journey to becoming a global icon.
Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan are often credited with recognizing Amitabh’s potential before he became the megastar he is today. Speaking at a recent Expresso session, Javed Akhtar reflected on their collaboration, saying, “We were sharp enough to realise that Amitabh Bachchan was a great actor, and it was his films that failed him. We backed his talent, and he repaid us with his great performance.”
The conversation, which included his daughter and filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, covered various topics, from the current state of Hindi cinema to the evolution of superstardom and, naturally, Amitabh Bachchan. Javed Akhtar acknowledged Amitabh’s exceptional acting skills, saying, “We have to simply accept the fact that he is an exceptionally good actor. After Dilip saab, it is Amitabh. In fact, while Dilip saab did one film every two years, Amitabh’s turnover was almost 7-8 superhits a year.”
Javed further highlighted what made Amitabh a lasting force in the industry, then, now, and forever. “He had tremendous discipline, focus, and total control over his tongue. He never made a controversial statement. If the shift was from 7, he’d be there on the sets by quarter to 7. He is an unbelievable actor. I have done 14 films with him, and I have no complaints about how he delivered my lines. In fact, I am thankful that he elevated some of my lines.”
