“Khush Shakl Bhi Hai Woh Yeh Alag Baat Hai Magar,
Hum Ko Zaheen Log Hameshaa Azeez The” – Javed Akhtar
His original name was Jadoo which speaks the truth about his personality! His family is one of the richest literary family in India. Married to Shabana Azmi who is daughter of the poet Kaifi Azmi. Lucknow is honoured to have a poet like Asrar-ul Haq Majaz who was his maternal uncle. His parents Jaan Nisaar Akhtar & Safia Akhtar are the renowned poets. His grandfather was Poet Muztar Khairabadi s/o Poet Syed Ahmed Husain & Poetess Syed un Nisa. Maulana Fazl-e Haq Khairabadi ( father of Syed un Nisa ) was close friend of Ghalib & he was the person who compiled the poetry of Ghalib – ‘Diwan- e Ghalib’ !
Pride of Lucknow & Aligarh, he studied in Colvin Taluqdars’ College, Lucknow and completed his matriculation from Aligarh Muslim University. Javed Akhtar has been awarded with ‘Padma Shri’ & ‘Padma Bhushan’. Akhtar has won the ‘National Award’ 5 times, ‘Filmfare Award’ 14 times, ‘Screen Awards’, ‘Zee Cine Award’……..( list is never ending) along with the awards in other categories like ‘National Integration Award’, ‘Avadh Ratan’ from the U.P. Government, ‘Hakim Khan Sur Sammaan Award’ to name a few ! He needs no further introduction who is more popularly know as script-writer, dialogue- writer, lyricist, poet, social activist!
Founder LUCKNOW Society has the privilege to meet him today & discuss the present aspects of Lucknow & Urdu Poetry. We salute the genius for being the honour of Lucknow & we have the opportunity to listen his poetry from his 2 books ‘Tarkash’ & ‘Lawa’ & receive a couplet of Majaz from this genius!
“Unka Karam Hai Unki Mohabbat,
Kia Mere Naghme Kia Meri Hasti”