[ad_1]
Salim-Javed were the biggest stars of Hindi movies in the 1970s and on Tuesday, Amazon Prime Video dropped the trailer of the documentary Angry Young Men that chronicles the life and work of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, known as Salim-Javed who wrote films like Sholay, Deewaar, Trishul, Don, Yaadon Ki Baaraat among many others, and changed the lexicon of Hindi cinema.
The documentary has interviews with Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar, Shabana Azmi, Yash and many others. The documentary covers their rise to the top where they wrote two dozen films together out of which 22 were blockbusters. At one point, they were the highest paid artistes in the film industry, and charged more than the reigning star of the era, Amitabh Bachchan. They also played an important role in the rise and rise of Big B, and were the men behind his ‘angry young man’ persona that channeled the frustration and anger of an entire generation. Their hero was angry with the system and his dissatisfaction with the way India was governed had changed his idea of morality. The hero in the 1970s moved beyond the ‘good guy’ and was now turning into a man who was questioning the authorities.
The series also covers their eventual break-up.
The trailer launch was attended by Salim Khan’s son Salman Khan, and Javed Akhtar’s children Zoya Akhtar and Farhan Akhtar.
Watch | Angry Young men trailer
Salim-Javed first got together to write the Rajesh Khanna-starrer Haathi Mere Saathi and soon enough, they made a name for themselves as the only writers who always had a bound script before starting a film. Zanjeer, released in 1973, introduced them to Amitabh Bachchan. Zanjeer was the first hit of Bachchan’s career and soon after, the trio established a team where Bachchan became synonymous with the character of ‘angry young man’ who was often named Vijay.
With subsequent films like Deewaar and Sholay, Salim-Javed struck gold. At this point that screenwriters were finally getting the respect they deserved in movies as Salim-Javed were paid higher than the lead star Amitabh Bachchan, and their names were appeared on the poster along with the director and the cast.
Subsequent films like Don, Trishul, Shaan, Dostana among others were big box office hits and established Salim-Javed as the most powerful writers in the business but soon after the 1980s began, they broke up. Salim went on to writing movies and Javed established himself as a lyric writer. Their paths separated and for many years, they didn’t see eye to eye. However, in the last few years, they have made up. They haven’t collaborated on any films since the 1980s. Their last credited work was Mr India although by the time that film was made, the two had already split.
Salim Khan said at the trailer launch, “I started my career in front of the camera but realized that my true strength lay in telling stories. That’s when I decided to focus on what came naturally to me – writing. I then met Javed who was equally passionate about writing, and together we did some fantastic work together, which I am very proud of. We had an excellent run and achieved great success, and also challenged industry norms along the way. It feels wonderful that our journey is being documented for future generations, and I hope they will be inspired to do their best and not be confined by society’s prescribed roles. I’m excited for audiences across the world to see our journey unfold on Prime Video.”
Javed Akhtar shared, “I arrived in this city as a young man with no job, contacts, or money and often going to bed hungry; despite that, quitting never crossed my mind. What I always knew, however, was that my life story was something I would want to share with the world. The support we have received from our family, friends, and the industry in documenting our journey has been heartening and I would like to thank them all for their love. We’re delighted to share our story on Prime Video with a global audience, offering them a candid look into our journey from early struggles to achieving our dreams.”
Directed by Namrata Rao, the documentary starts streaming on August 20.
Click for more updates and latest Bollywood news along with Entertainment updates. Also get latest news and top headlines from India and around the world at The Indian Express.
[ad_2]
