Javed Akhtar Opens Up on Farhan & Zoya Rejecting His Lines: ‘They Find Them Outdated’

Veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar recently shared insights into his professional dynamics with his children, filmmakers Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar. During an interview with Sapan Verma, Javed revealed that Farhan and Zoya often dismiss his lines, considering them ‘outdated’ or ‘traditional.’

Javed candidly discussed how their different perspectives and language preferences sometimes create a creative disconnect. “It’s very easy for them to be my boss,” he said. “Other people might hesitate because I am a senior and veteran, but my kids don’t hold back—especially Zoya. While Farhan simply rejects my lines, Zoya actually engages in debates with me. Their first language is English, and mine is Urdu or Hindustani, so I know the nuances of that language better. Still, they often tell me, ‘This feels too traditional or outdated.'”

Javed also reflected on the limited opportunities he’s had to contribute to their projects over the years. “In the last 25 years, I’ve written one script for Farhan: Lakshya. For Zoya, I worked on a few dialogues for her debut film Luck By Chance. But after that, she never asked again,” he joked. “When Dil Dhadakne Do came along, Zoya asked me to write dialogues—for the dog! She said, ‘Nobody can capture a dog’s thoughts better than you.’”

Javed Akhtar in Angry Young Men

Javed Akhtar recently appeared in the docu-series Angry Young Men, which chronicles his legendary partnership with Salim Khan. Directed by Namrata Rao, the series explores how the Salim-Javed duo produced 22 blockbusters out of 24 films during their collaboration. The documentary also delves into the reasons behind their professional split and features interviews with Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Jaya Bachchan, and Shabana Azmi, along with Farhan and Zoya Akhtar. The series is available for streaming on Prime Video.