Tarkash - Celebrating Javed Akhtar’s Poetry and his Popular Lyrics

In this Chaitime, we celebrate the genius of famous Hindi/Urdu poet and lyricist, Javed Akhtar. We try to relive his life and struggles through his own autobiography and collection of his poems - Tarkash. We weave this with some of the most popular Hindi movie songs penned by him. Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed. Akhtar continues to be a prominent figure in Bollywood and is one of the most popular and sought-after lyricists. Javed Akhtar was awarded the Padma Shri award by the Government of India in 1999 and received the Padma Bhushan in 2007. Akhtar has also won the Filmfare Award fourteen times, seven times for Best Script, and eight times for Best Lyrics for Ek Ladki Ko Dekha... in 1942-A Love Story, Ghar Se Nikalte Hi... for Papa Kahte Hain, Sandese Aate Hain.... for Border, Panchhi Nadiyan Pawan Ke Jhonke... for Refugee, Radha Kaise Na Jale for Lagaan, Kal Ho Na Ho for Kal Ho Na Ho, Tere Liye... for Veer-Zaara and Jashn-e-Bahara for Jodhaa Akbar. Akhtar has won the National Award five times. In 1996 he won for Best Lyricist for the film Saaz and in 1997 he won the National Award for Border. He again won the National Award in 1998 for Godmother. In 2000 he again won the National Award for the song Panchhi Nadiyan Pawan Ke Jonke... from the film Refugee and in 2001 for Radha Kaise Na Jale from Lagaan. He has won the 1995 and 1997 Screen Videocon Awards. He also won first Zee Award for Best Lyricist for Sandese Aate Hain from the film Border. He was awarded a Videocon Screen award as well as a Lux Zee Cine award for Panchhi Nadiyan Pawan Ke Jhonke... for Refugee. In 2001 Akhtar received the National Integration Award from the All India Anti-Terrorist Association and the Avadh Ratan from the U.P. Government. He also won the 2003 Hakim Khan Sur Sammaan Award from the Maharana Mewar Foundation, Udaipur.