Happy Birthday Javed Akhtar: Farhan Akhtar says he couldn't have asked for a better person to be his father

Friday marks the 75th birthday of legendary lyricist, poet and writer Javed Akhtar. Born as Jaan Nisar Akhtar in 1945 in Gwalior, he hails from a family of poets and songwriters, and was named Jadu initially.

He began his career when he wrote the screenplay for Rajesh Khanna’s Haathi Mere Saathi (1971). This was also the film that marked the beginning of his 16-year-long association with screenwriter Salim Khan. The duo, famously known as Salim-Javed, wrote 21 Bollywood films together, including cult classics like Andaz (1971), Zanjeer (1973), Sholay (1975), and Deewar (1975).

Apart from films, Javed has also given hit songs such Main Aur Meri Tanhai (Silsila, 1981), Panchi Nadiya (Refugee, 2000), Dard-E-Disco (Om Shanti Om, 2007), Jashn-E-Bahara (Jodhaa Akbar, 2008) among others, during his career spanning over four decades.