Salim Khan – Javed Akhtar Split: What Really Broke Bollywood’s Most Powerful Writing Duo Of Sholay?

In the 1970s, Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar formed a powerhouse writing duo, delivering some of the most memorable hits in Indian cinema. Their work continues to be iconic to this day, with many of their films standing the test of time. However, their split left fans heartbroken. The true reason behind their separation has never been fully disclosed, not even in their documentary series ‘Angry Young Men’.

In an interview, Akhtar addressed a common rumor that Amitabh Bachchan’s involvement was behind their breakup. He explained that just before their separation, they had developed the concept for a film called ‘Invisible Man’, which later became ‘Mr. India’. The film was originally conceived for Bachchan, but as their partnership ended, Javed Akhtar took over and wrote the entire script, screenplay, and dialogues, leading to its eventual production with Anil Kapoor in the lead role.

Speaking to Mid-day, Akhtar recalled the moment they parted ways, “We split on June 21, 1982. Salim saheb came over to my house, and we had a conversation there. It was before the split that we came up with the idea of ‘Mr. India’.”

At the time, rumors suggested that Akhtar’s closeness to Bachchan had caused the rift with Salim Khan. Akhtar clarified, “When we parted, the situation changed. Because of my proximity to Amitabh Bachchan, many people thought I had ended my partnership with Salim Khan because of him. Because of these rumors, I didn’t work with Amitabh for about 10 years. I received many offers but turned them down, not wanting the perception that I had broken the partnership due to my support for him. The first film I did with Amitabh after our split was ‘Azaad’.”

Akhtar also spoke about the dynamic of their working relationship, emphasizing his deep respect for Salim Khan as the elder and more experienced partner. “When we sat down to write screenplays, we were equals. But both of us came from a culture where respect for elders was ingrained. Salim saheb was older and more experienced, so there was always that ‘chote bade ka rishta’ outside of work. But when it came to writing, we were on the same level,” Akhtar shared.

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