Javed Akhtar's Journey: From Pavement to Padma Bhushan, A Saga of Success

• Javed Akhtar, born in Gwalior, arrived in Mumbai in 1964 with just 27 paise, spending nights on pavements and at Kamal Amrohi's studio.
• He began his career as an assistant director, performing small tasks for actors, a stark contrast to his later success.
• As part of the Salim-Javed duo, he co-wrote iconic films like Sholay, Zanjeer, and Deewaar, defining the 'Angry Young Man' era and elevating screenwriting.
• Akhtar is a celebrated lyricist, orator, and social thinker, known for his poetic mind and philosophical outlook on life.
• He served as a nominated Rajya Sabha member (2010-2016), advocating for secularism and free expression, and received the Richard Dawkins Award in 2020.

Why It Matters: Javed Akhtar's life is an inspiring tale of resilience, transforming from a penniless struggler to a celebrated icon.