Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, celebrated as two of the most iconic screenwriters in Hindi cinema, have penned numerous blockbuster films that have left an indelible mark on Bollywood. However, not everyone shares this admiration. Veteran actor Dharmendra has challenged, FIR show’s writer Amit Aaryan’s controversial opinion, whereby he believes that the duo were nothing but plagiarists.
Aaryan stated, “I do not even consider Salim-Javed to be writers. The world may admire them, but to me, they are copy-writers, not writers. They’ve spent their entire lives copying ideas.” He further claimed that the 1975 classic Sholay, co-written by Salim-Javed, was heavily inspired by Raj Khosla’s action drama Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971), which starred Dharmendra, Asha Parekh, and Vinod Khanna.
Addressing Aaryan’s allegations, veteran actor Dharmendra, who starred in both Mera Gaon Mera Desh and Sholay, finally broke his silence in an interview with Times Now. He refuted the claims, saying, “Maine dono film mein kaam kiya hai, mujhe toh koi same si baat nazar nahin aye. Haan, ek ka villain Jabbar Singh doosra ka Gabbar Singh. That doesn’t make them similar. They might be cousins. Who knows!”
Aaryan elaborated on his criticism, drawing parallels between key plot elements of the two films. He pointed out that Sholay‘s dacoit Gabbar Singh (played by Amjad Khan) resembled Mera Gaon Mera Desh‘s villain, Jabbar Singh, portrayed by Vinod Khanna. He further argued that plot devices, such as Dharmendra’s quest for revenge in Mera Gaon Mera Desh and Amitabh Bachchan’s similar role in Sholay, were evidence of Salim-Javed’s penchant for “copying.”
In addition to Sholay, Aaryan also claimed that Salim-Javed’s Deewaar (1975), directed by Yash Chopra, was a reimagined version of Nitin Bose’s Gunga Jumna (1961), where two brothers find themselves on opposite sides of the law, culminating in one brother shooting the other.
Aaryan, despite his bold criticisms, revealed that Salim Khan himself had been a fan of his show FIR. He recalled instances where the Khan family invited the show’s cast and crew for lunch, with Salman Khan expressing admiration for the series. Yet, Aaryan was unrelenting in his criticism of the legendary writers, calling them “salesmen” and claiming they had never created anything original.
His comments also extended to the documentary series Angry Young Men, where he dismissed the documentary’s praise of Salim-Javed as mere flattery orchestrated by their children.
While Amit Aaryan’s views have sparked controversy, Dharmendra’s straightforward rebuttal has added a measured voice to the debate, standing by the originality and legacy of both films.
