Salim-Javed, the iconic writer-duo needs no introduction. Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar are the two biggest writers in the Hindi cine industry. The writer-duo has written scripts for the biggest blockbusters of Bollywood. Apart from that, with their iconic movies, they are also largely responsible for producing some of the biggest actors as well, including Amitabh Bachchan. With iconic movies like Yaadon Ki Baarat, Zanjeer, Sholay, Deewar, Trishul, Don and Kaala Patthar, to name a few, the screenwriters duo were the first writers to achieve a star status. The greatest screenwriters of Hindi cinema have worked together in 24 films that were commercially and critically successful.
Though the writer-duo revolutionised Indian cinema and transformed the movie-making format, they parted ways after that. Moviegoers certainly are aware that they drifted apart and have never worked after that. But do you know the reason behind it?
Recently, in an interview, Javed Akhtar opened up the reason behind it.
While talking to Burkha Dutt, Javed Akhtar said that a writing partnership is often difficult to sustain as it depends on a strong mental rapport.
Javed Akhtar was quoted as saying, "Partnership in a cement factory is easier, because you know what is the cost of making cement, the price in the market, and if you are decent people you can have formal relations with your partner, and the business will continue."
Further, he added, "On the contrary, partnership in writing is another ball game. You don’t have a scale or a weighing machine where you can put a scene and decide its weight, it is only a matter of feeling.”
He also said that developing a scene and reaching a conclusion is the final thing. And to ensure the final thing is good a tremendous mental rapport is required.
Further, he added that two people can work together as long as the mental rapport is there. The moment it breaks, you can't work together.
When asked, how the rapport between them broke, Javed Akhtar said that two people naturally drift apart when they become successful and more people enter their lives. However, he cleared that there was never a fight between them or even a tussle for credit or money.
He also recalled that when they started, they were nobody and they only had each other. They spend a lot of time together and talk about stories.
“He would come to my room, I had one paying guest room, or I would go to his house, which was a small one. But when you become bigger, more successful, many more people enter your life,” he added.
Further, he said that the moment you achieve what you have been wanting or which was the main issue of your life, you reach a satisfactory position, and then all other interests start emerging.
He also added that one becomes a different person when they meet different kinds of people and that is what happened with them.
One realized that the relationship is no longer there, that we now don’t sit together in the evening, we have our own set of friends. Gradually that happened and the rapport weakened, and it was reflecting on our work also,” he concluded.
Though they don't work together anymore, Javed Akhtar misses working with Salim Khan. However, they still have very high regard with each other and try to remain in touch.