When we think of Bollywood cult classics, there is one title that always pops up in our mind, and that is Sholay. We have a habit of giving credit to the lead cast members and the directors for a film’s success. But the writers deserve additional credit for bringing a story that keeps us hooked to the seats.
Today, when we talk about the iconic pairs in the history of the film industry, we cannot ignore the dynamic duo, Salim-Javed. With more than 20 films on their list, the duo have been praised over the years for introducing the “Angry Young Man” to Bollywood and contributing to the popularity of masala films.
The internet has helped people to know a lot of things about this famous pair. But listening to the stories of those who were associated with them over the years is the best way to understand how they established themselves in the industry.
The entire story would unfold in the upcoming documentary series Angry Young Men. It is premiering through Amazon Prime Video on August 20, 2024, and the trailer has been released online.
Although the trailer is a glimpse of what we would get to see in the show, it is grabbing attention due to the appearances of veteran personalities involved with Bollywood for several years. The trailer begins with Salman Khan and Farhan Akhtar speaking to the camera, with the former saying that he is getting nervous for the first time.
We slowly get to witness the lineup of films made by Salim-Javed in their career such as Deewar and Trishul, along with the iconic dialogues being heard in the background like “Kitne Aadmi The” from Sholay. Zoya Akhtar also speaks on the success of her father’s collaboration with Salim Khan during the 70s and 80s.
Aamir Khan and Shatrughan Sinha also address the work done by Salim-Javed. Newspaper clippings appear on screen with articles being written about the duo and this is followed by a moment where Javed Akhtar says that there were people who expressed shock over the fact that they wanted to become well-known despite that they were writers.
Trade analyst and film critic Komal Nahta also says that they were one of the “hottest writing jodi” of that time and the industry was shaken when they decided to pursue individual careers. Salim Khan is heard saying that they never planned to work together.
As the trailer ends, we see Salim-Javed’s pictures with their family members along with Amitabh Bachchan saying that their collaboration always brought a “different story.”
Notably, Amazon Prime Video teased the show a few days ago with a puzzle posted through their social media pages. Bollywood is currently facing a crisis when it comes to good writers and this documentary can prove to be a way out for today’s producers. The film industry is going through a bad phase and it’s time to bring a change now.
