Shabana Azmi Marks 62 Years Since Javed Akhtar Arrived in Mumbai with Almost Nothing

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi shared a post on social media to mark sixty-two years since her husband and famous writer Javed Akhtar first reached Mumbai. On October fourth, nineteen sixty-four, the nineteen-year-old poet stepped off a train at the Mumbai Central station after leaving his home in Gwalior, Uttar Pradesh.

Early Hardships

Shabana revealed in her post that he had only twenty-seven naye paise in his pocket when he arrived with big goals. He faced severe struggles in his early days, including sleeping on footpaths, railway stations, and studio grounds. There was a time when he went without food for three days and had only torn clothes left on his body. Even during those dark moments, he kept his spirits up by telling himself that his situation would change and he was not born to simply perish.

Career Success

After initially hoping to work as an assistant director with film legends like Guru Dutt or Raj Kapoor, he eventually partnered with Salim Khan. The famous duo wrote major hit films together, such as Sholay, Deewaar, Zanjeer, Don, and Trishul. Family members and industry peers, including his daughter Zoya Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan, and Dia Mirza, reacted to the tribute with heart emojis on the post.

Deep Impacts

Despite achieving immense success and wealth, Javed admitted in a past project that those early days of hunger left a permanent mark on his mind. He shared that he sometimes still feels like an outsider when looking at luxury hotel suites and large meals, often wondering where all the food was when he had nothing to eat.

Context

Struggling early in life is a common path for many artists who eventually find success in the Indian film industry after moving to major cities. Such personal histories often shape the deep themes of struggle and triumph seen in the classic movies they go on to create later in life.