Javed Akhtar - A journey from a Ghost Writer to Super Star Writer

Javed Akhtar was born on 17th Jan 1945, His father was a  famous poet and Lyricist but he had to struggle in his early days in Bombay. He came to Bombay On October 4,1964  Within six days of his arrival he had to leave his father's home. He had 27 paise in his pockets. He had no certainty of either food or shelter.
 He managed to write dialogue for a minor film for Rs100. Sometimes he gets some work as an assistant or otherwise but often even this work eludes him.
He used to write a few scenes for the producers as Ghost Writer, The credit went to the ScreenPlay writer of that film.For this, he was paid a meagre amount of Rs 100.

For a year he had been living in Kamaal Studio (present-day Natraj Studios). He slept wherever he fancy-sometimes in some verandah, sometimes in some corridor, sometimes under some tree. He also slept for few days at the Mahakali Caves (these ancient Buddhist Caves in crowded East Andheri near Kamalistan Studio were a part of a desolate landscape in those days where hemp smoking mendicants layabout).
For a few days he lived with a friend who was a gambler, he taught him the tricks of gambling. For a few days, the cards provided the means of survival. After some days a famous and successful writer called and offered him a job at Rs 600 per month. The work was to ghostwrite for him. There was a struggle of 5 years for him. At last in November 1969 he got some work which in film parlance is called a "break"..
 He got a job as an independent scriptwriter on Yakeen which flopped. Akhtar then joined with his friend Salim Khan to develop the story for Adhikar.After that both wrote for G P Sippy for Andaz, the film was hit and after that Rajesh Khanna asked them to write the screenplay of Haathi Mere Saathi.
Their first big success was the script for Andaz, followed by Adhikar (1971), Haathi Mere Saathi and Seeta Aur Geeta (1972). They also had hits with Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Zanjeer (1973), Haath Ki Safai (1974), Deewaar (1975), Sholay (1975), Chacha Bhatija (1977), Don (1978), Trishul (1978), Dostana (1980), Kranti (1981), Zamana (1985) and Mr. India (1987). They have worked together in 24 films including two Kannada films – Premada Kanike and Raja Nanna Raja. Of the 24 films they wrote, 20 were hits.
Javed is an Urdu poet before writing songs for films he was writing poetry.It was Yash Chopra who insisted him to write songs for his film Silsila(1981). After that he gave us many memorable songs He won 5 National Awards for his songs and also 5 Filmfare Awards for lyrics. In 2013, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu, India's second highest literary honour, for his poetry collection Lava.
He was also nominated a Rajya Sabha MP.from Nov 2009 to Nov 2015.
He married to Honey Irani, with whom he had two children, Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar, both film directors and actors. The father-and-son duo has worked together in films such as Dil Chahta Hai, Lakshya, Rock On!! and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara with Zoya. He divorced Irani and later married Shabana Azmi, the daughter of eminent Urdu poet, Kaifi Azmi.
Some of his Popular Songs

Song of Silsila 1981

Song of Sagar 1985

Song of 1942: A Love Story 1994

Song of Tezaab 1988

Song of Refugee 2000

Song of Lagaan 2001

Song of Veer Zaara 2004

Vijay Anand- A Committed Filmmaker

He was a trusted filmmaker who regaled cine goers with films that were as flawless and priceless as Guide, Tere Mere Sapne, Taxi Driver, Jewel Thief, Teesri Manzil and Johnny Mera Naam, to name a few.The youngest brother of stalwarts Chetan Anand and Dev Anand, was indeed an ace filmmaker, much ahead of his times. 
Born on  22 January 1934 made his directorial debut with Nau Do Gyarah, which he shot in 40 days.In fact  he wrote a screenplay, he hesitatingly showed it to Chetan Anand. The latter, being out of work, accepted it and shot Nau Do Gyarah in 40 days — with ghar ka hero (Dev Anand), ghar kiheroine' (Kalpana Kartik who was to marry Dev Anand), cameraman and music director S.D. Burman. Both Chetan and Dev Anand got a boost from the film, but Goldie, the writer, a small voice in the family, was sidetracked.
His next script was Taxi Driver,he gave it to Dev anand  on the condition that he (Goldie) would direct it. A reluctant Dev relented. Goldie left his studies (he was doing MA) and plunged into Taxi Driver. The film was a silver jubilee hit! Goldie never looked back. He then directed Kala Bazaar (1960) and Tere Ghar Ke Saamne (1963) for Navketan Productions.
It was the masterpiece Guide (1965) wherein lies Vijay Anand's claim to immortality. Interestingly, Vijay Anand had tried his best to dissuade Dev Anand from making the film. Dev was obsessed with the idea of turning R.K. Narayan's novel into a Hindi-English bilingual in collaboration with Pearl S. Buck. Vijay Anand was horrified when he read the script.He agreed to direct the hindi version only writing his own script.He went off to Khandala and after 18 days returned with a new script. The shooting in Udaipur was completed in 80 shifts.
Next Vijay Anand directed Teesri Manzil for Nasir Hussain. Guide had taken its toll on him and he wanted to make a light film which would make for easy viewing. He gave thrillers the kind of varnish job that made them gleam. It was the first time he directed outside Navketan.The film was a hit.After that he directed Navketan's Jewel Thief in 1967 which was also a hit,by this time he was the No 1 director.
Jewel Thief was followed by Johnny Mera Naam (1970), another superhit. It was so slick that the Principal of the FTII, Pune, showed his students this film to give them an example of a perfect mix of art and the commercial. 
In 1971 he directed Tere Mere Sapne for Navketan in which he acted also,before that he acted in  Kala Bazar 1960,Haqeeqat (1964).As an actor, his most memorable roles were in the films  Kora Kagaz (1974), (in which he starred opposite Jaya Bachchan) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki(1978). Chor Chor was a songless thriller in which Leena Chandavarkar was his heroine. He acted in Ghoonghroo Ki Aawaz, Double Cross and Chhupa Rustam.
Vijay Anand was known for his stylish song picturization, such as the numbers; "O Haseena" (Teesri Manzil ), "Kaaton Se Kheech" (Guide ) and "Honthon Mein Aisi Baat" (Jewel Thief )
He served a short stint as the chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification, India's censor board, a position from which he resigned, in 2002, after he ran into ideological differences with the government over the introduction of ratings for adult movies.
Goldie, as he was affectionately called, died on 23 February 2004 due to a heart attack. He was aged 70

Song from Nau Do Gyarah 1957

Song from Kala Bazar 1960

Song from Tere Ghar Ke Samne  1963

Song from Guide  1965

Song from Teesri Manzil 1966

Song from Jewel Thief 1967

Song from Johny Mera Naam 1970

Song from Tere Mere Sapne 1971

Song from Black Mail 1973

JAVED AKHTAR-The Most Versatile Bollywood Celebrity

Javed along with Salim were the Super Star Jodi of Bollywood in the 70s. Rajesh Khanna is credited with giving Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar their first chance to become screenplay writers by offering them work in Haathi Mere Saathi.Before that both were employed by G P Sippy in their story department.He along with Salim the father of Salman Khan gave the film industry The Angry Young Man Amitabh Bachchan. His association with Salim Khan lasted until 1980. After this Akhtar wrote some scripts on his own, but mostly moved into writing lyrics for films, in which he achieved success. 
He was born on 17th Jan 1945 as Jadoo Akhtar in Gwalior, (Madhya Pradesh) to Jan Nisar Akhtar, a Bollywood film songwriter and Urdu poet, and singer Safia Akhtar, a teacher and writer. Akhtar's early years were spent in Lucknow, Aligarh and Mumbai, mostly with relatives. He was a gifted debater in college, he won the Rotary Club Prize frequently.  
He  arrived in Mumbai on 4 October 1964. In his early years living in Mumbai, he managed to write the dialogue for a minor film for Rs. 100. Occasionally, he used to work as an assistant. He got a job as a scriptwriter on Yakeen which flopped. Akhtar then joined with his friend Salim Khan to develop the story for Adhikar.
Their first big success was the script for Andaz, followed by Adhikar (1971), Haathi Mere Saathi and Seeta Aur Geeta (1972). They also had hits with Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Zanjeer (1973), Haath Ki Safai (1974), Deewaar (1975), Sholay (1975), Chacha Bhatija (1977), Don (1978), Trishul (1978), Dostana (1980), Kranti (1981), Zamana (1985) and Mr. India (1987). They have worked together in 24 films including two Kannada films – Premada Kanike and Raja Nanna Raja. Of the 24 films they wrote, 20 were hits.
Javed is a Urdu poet before writing songs for films he was writing poetry.It was Yash Chopra who insiisted him to write songs for his film Silsila(1981).After that he gave us many memorable songs He won 5 National Awards for his songs and also 5 Filmfare Awards for lyrics. In 2013, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu, India's second highest literary honour, for his poetry collection Lava.
He was also nominated a Rajya Sabha MP.from Nov 2009 to Nov 2015.
He married to Honey Irani, with whom he had two children, Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar, both film directors and actors. The father-and-son duo have worked together in films such as Dil Chahta Hai, Lakshya, Rock On!! and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara with Zoya.He divorced Irani and later married Shabana Azmi, the daughter of eminent Urdu poet, Kaifi Azmi.
Some of his Award Winning Songs

Song from 1942: A Love Story (1994)

Song from  Papa Kehte Hai 1996

Song from Border 1997

Song from Refugee 2000

Song from Lagaan 2001