PremiumSalim Khan opens up on his split with Javed Akhtar; reveals why Amitabh Bachchan could have stopped it
In a new interview, Salim Khan opened up on his split with Javed Akhtar. The iconic duo recently reunited for Angry Young Men, a docu-series after nearly 40 years.
Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar at the Angry Young Men trailer launch
Last Updated: 02.10 PM, Sep 07, 2024
Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar are considered one of the most iconic writer duos of all time. They penned 24 films, with an impressive 22 achieving blockbuster status. However, they split up in 1982. In 2024, they reunited for the doc-series Angry Young Men: The Salim-Javed Story which explores their partnership. In a new interview, Salim Khan revealed why Amitabh Bachchan could have stopped the split between him and Javed Akhtar.
Salim Khan on split with Javed Akhtar
In a new interview with NDTV, Salim Khan recalled the time when Javed Akhtar told him that he wanted to make separate films.
Salim Khan said that when he informed me that he wanted to work separately, he said okay, no problem because you can't force someone to stay. Even now, Khan does not know why they separated. "It just happened," he said.
Salim Khan said in Hindi, “Why we separated, we didn't tell anyone, or spoke behind each other's backs, or even mentioned it. We used to meet, talk, and I would pass by his house every day. While walking, I would wave, and he would wave back. The friendship is still there.”
Salim Khan on why Amitabh Bachchan could have stopped the split
When asked if Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar's break-up affected Amitabh Bachchan, Salim Khan said it must have. He also disclosed that if he was in the place of Amitabh Bachchan, he would have acted as a mediator and stopped the split.
The veteran screenwriter said, "But if I were in his [Amitabh Bachchan's] place... I would have given him [Javed Akhtar] the advice: ‘Don't leave, you have a great partnership, you're doing well, everything's going fine, why would you want to end this?' If it were me, I would have done that."
Is Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar making a comeback?
In an interview with the same portal, Salim Khan said that if Salim-Javed were to come back now, it would still be valuable. When asked if they are planning on writing another film together, Salim Khan replied, "Banane ka iraada hai. [We have plans to make it." The two are already working on a script together, he revealed. "Comeback, coming soon," he added.