The legendary screenwriting duo of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar gave Bollywood some of its most iconic films, including Sholay, Zanjeer, and Deewar. Despite their success, the partnership came to an unexpected end after working together for over two decades. While the exact reason for their split has never been revealed, Salim Khan recently hinted that if anyone could have prevented the breakup, it would have been Amitabh Bachchan.
In a conversation with NDTV, Salim Khan revealed his thoughts on how the duo’s separation could have been avoided. He mentioned that he never really understood why they parted ways but believed Amitabh Bachchan, who benefited greatly from their collaboration, could have played a key role in keeping them together.
Salim said, “If I were in Amitabh’s place, I would have advised Javed not to leave. We had a successful partnership, and things were going well. Why break it?” He expressed that he would have done whatever he could to preserve the partnership.
No Hard Feelings, But No Answers
Salim Khan also emphasized that when Javed Akhtar expressed his desire to work separately, he accepted it without any resistance. “I cannot force anyone to stay,” Salim remarked. Despite the duo parting ways, both went on to have successful careers individually. However, Salim continues to wonder about the reason behind the split.
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22 Years of Blockbusters
The Salim-Javed partnership lasted for 22 years, during which they wrote some of Bollywood’s biggest hits, such as Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Seeta Aur Geeta, and Mr. India. Their work played a pivotal role in shaping Amitabh Bachchan’s “Angry Young Man” persona, a defining element of his superstardom.
Salim and Javed’s partnership has recently been revisited in the Amazon Prime documentary series Angry Young Men, released on August 20, 2024, celebrating their contributions to Indian cinema.
