Editing Javed Akhtar (section)

{{short description|Indian poet, lyricist and scriptwriter (born 1945)}}
{{for|the Pakistani cricketer|Javed Akhtar (cricketer)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Javed Akhtar<br><big>{{Nastaliq}}</big>
| image               = Javed Akhtar in 2012.jpg
| caption             = Akhtar in 2012
| office              = [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha|Member of Parliament]], [[Rajya Sabha]]
| term_start          = 22 March 2010
| term_end            = 21 March 2016
| predecessor         = 
| successor           = [[Navjot Singh Sidhu]]
| nominator           = [[Pratibha Patil]]
| constituency        = [[List of nominated members of Rajya Sabha|Nominated (Arts)]]
| birth_date          = 1945
| birth_place         = [[Gwalior]], [[Gwalior State]], [[British Raj|British India]]<br>{{small|(present-day [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[India]])}}
| nationality         = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| occupation          = {{hlist|[[Lyricist]]|[[political activist]]|[[poet]]|[[screenwriter]]}}
| spouse              = {{ubl|{{marriage|[[Honey Irani]]|1972|1985|end=divorced}}; 2 children|{{marriage|[[Shabana Azmi]]|1984}}}}
| children            = {{ubl|[[Zoya Akhtar]] (daughter)|[[Farhan Akhtar]] (son)}}
| father              = [[Jan Nisar Akhtar]]
| relatives        = [[Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi]] (great grandfather)<br/>[[Muztar Khairabadi]] (grand father)<br>[[Hamida Salim]] (aunt)<br/>[[Ansar Harvani]] (uncle)<br/>[[Majaz]] (uncle)<br/>[[Salman Akhtar]] (brother)
| education           = Colvin Taluqdars' College, [[Lucknow]]
| awards              = 
| website             = 
| signature           = Javed Akhtar Autograph.svg
| native_name_lang    = hi
}}

'''Javed Akhtar'''{{efn|{{IPA|hns|d͡ʒɑː.ʋɛd̪ əxt̪əɾ|}}}} (born 1945) is an Indian [[screenwriter]], [[lyricist]] and [[poet]]. Known for his work in [[Hindi cinema]], he has won five [[National Film Award for Best Lyrics|National Film Awards]], and received the [[Padma Shri]] in 1999 and the [[Padma Bhushan]] in 2007,<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=July 21, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015 }}</ref> two of India's highest [[Civilian award|civilian honours]]. He is considered as one of the greatest screenwriters in the history of [[Hindi]] Cinema. 

Akhtar came to recognition in the duo [[Salim–Javed]], and earned his breakthrough as a screenwriter with 1973's [[Zanjeer (1973 film)|''Zanjeer'']]. He went on to write the films ''[[Deewaar]]'' and ''[[Sholay]]'', both released in 1975; they earned a [[cult following]], and had a significant impact in [[popular culture]]. He later earned praise for his work as a [[lyricist]], winning the [[National Film Award for Best Lyrics]] five times and the [[Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist]] eight times.

Akhtar notably campaigned for the [[Communist Party of India]] (CPI) and their candidate in the [[2019 Indian general election]], and was a member of parliament in [[Rajya Sabha]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.rediff.com/report/2010/mar/19/president-appoints-5-new-members-to-rajya-sabha.htm|title=Javed Akhtar, Aiyar among 5 nominated to RS|website=Rediff|access-date=5 October 2019|archive-date=5 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005173730/https://news.rediff.com/report/2010/mar/19/president-appoints-5-new-members-to-rajya-sabha.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> For his work, he received the [[Richard Dawkins Award]] in 2020.<ref name="dawkins" /><ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/celebrities/javed-akhtar-becomes-only-indian-to-win-richard-dawkins-award|title = Javed Akhtar Becomes Only Indian to Win Richard Dawkins Award|date = 7 June 2020|access-date = 7 June 2020|archive-date = 2 June 2024|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240602163818/https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/celebrities/javed-akhtar-becomes-only-indian-to-win-richard-dawkins-award|url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="centerforinquiry.org">{{Cite web|url=https://centerforinquiry.org/press_releases/javed-akhtar-wins-richard-dawkins-award/|title=Writer, Poet, Lyricist, and Atheist Activist Javed Akhtar Wins Richard Dawkins Award &#124; Center for Inquiry|date=9 June 2020|access-date=11 June 2020|archive-date=2 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602163701/https://centerforinquiry.org/press_releases/javed-akhtar-wins-richard-dawkins-award/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fidalgo |first1=Paul |title=Richard Dawkins award goes to writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar |journal=[[Skeptical Inquirer]] |date=2020 |volume=45 |issue=5 |page=6}}</ref>

In 2024, [[Amazon Prime]] released a three-part documentary series about the Salim-Javed screenwriting duo, ''Angry Young Men''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |date=16 August 2024 |title=‘Angry Young Men’: Inside Prime Video’s Documentary Series on Bollywood Screenwriting Legends Salim-Javed (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/salim-javed-angry-young-men-prime-video-1236108804/}}</ref>