Jun 03, 2025 06:22 AM IST
Javed Akhtar talked about working with Zoya Akhtar and Farhan Akhtar and writing for their films.
Lyricist Javed Akhtar is one of the most prolific writers in the industry and has worked with several directors in the course of his decades-long career in Bollywood. In an interview with The Lallantop, Javed was asked about the experience of working with his children, Zoya Akhtar and Farhan Akhtar, on their respective films. Javed candidly shared how it is never easy when it is with them. (Also read: Kangana Ranaut gave written apology, asked Javed Akhtar in court: ‘Aap meri agli picture mein gaane likhenge?’)
What Javed said
During the interaction, when Javed was asked about which one of the two is a tougher taskmaster, he said, “Dusro ke liye kaam karna asaan hain apne bachho ke liye bada mushkil hain. Unko aisa nahi hai ki hamara baap hain toh hum kuch kahe nahin. Humein toh kuch kehna hi hain. Zoya tough taskmaster hai (It is easier to work with others than with my own children. They will not spare me just because I am their father. They will say something. Zoya is the tough taskmaster).”
‘Dono alag-alag tarah ke film banate hain’
He went on to add how their films are so different from one another. “Dono hoshiyaar hain aur dono alag-alag tarah ke film banate hain. Common nahi hain. Ab jis tarah ki film Farhan banate hain Zoya nahi bana sakti. Jis tarah ki Zoya banayi hain Farhan nahi bana sakta. Unka definitely alag-alag school hain. Both of them are doing well (The two of them know their work and make different films. They are not common. The kind of films Farhan makes cannot be made by Zoya and vice versa. They definitely come from different schools).”
Farhan is all set to make Don 3 with Ranveer Singh. Meanwhile, Zoya co-produced the feature film Superboys of Malegaon and the docu-series Angry Young Men, which was based on Salim-Javed. Her last directorial venture was Netflix’s The Archies.
