If we try to recall any script writer duo in Bollywood, it will only be Salim-Javed that will click in our mind. Ruling the entire 70’s decade they wrote 21 stories together and some of them are still considered iconic like Zanjeer, Deewar, Sholay, Don etc. Though the duo did not had any grudges behind the break-up, film Mr. India played an important role in their split-up.
The duo had approached Amitabh for the lead role of Mr. India thinking that his voice would add a lot of value to the role but the star turned down the proposal as his thinking was that people come to see him and not to hear him. Javed felt that they should never work with Amitabh again but Salim had a lukewarm response on this matter. Few days later on the occasion of Holi Party at Amitabh’s residence, Javed said that Salim too was not keen to work with the star anymore. This led to a misunderstanding between the three.
Besides this there were other reasons too as the duo were not able to find time. Salim was 10 years older to Javed and had to spend time with family too.
Javed had already penned down lyrics for Silsila and wanted to continue lyric writing also as a duo but Salim refused saying that he did not considered it right to take credit of something that he is not a part of.
The final nail in the coffin was at Javed’s residence where he mentioned that they should work separately. Salim replied, “I am sure that you have said this after considerable thought and nothing I say will change your mind.”
After few weeks they shook hands in front of Javed’s Juhu home on the evening of 21st June 1981, Salim Javed once again became Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar.
One interesting fact to note here is that the duo was so visionary that they had the story idea of Mr. India, a film which was released in 1987.
Both continued writing but it took a long time for Javed Akhtar to win his first Film Fare Award as a lyricist for the song EK Ladki ko dekha from the film 1942 A Love Story which released in 1994.
When Javed told Salim, ‘I was thinking that maybe we should work separately’
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