Mumbai: Veteran actor Shabana Azmi on Sunday recalled her husband Javed Akhtar’s difficult early years in Mumbai, marking the 62nd anniversary of his arrival in the city. She shared how the celebrated screenwriter, lyricist and poet came to Bombay with just 27 naye paise and survived years of hardship before building a successful career in Indian cinema.

Sharing a photograph of a young Javed Akhtar on Instagram, Shabana said he arrived at Bombay Central Station on October 4, 1964, as a 19-year-old with big dreams.

“Life gave him several hard knocks,” Shabana wrote, recalling how Javed slept on footpaths, at railway stations and in studio compounds during his early years in Mumbai. She also said there was a period when he went without food for three days and had little more than the clothes on his body.
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‘Yeh din badlenge’: The words that kept Javed Akhtar going

Recalling a time when Javed was close to giving up, Shabana shared the words he told himself: “Main yunhi marne ke liye nahin paida nahin hua tha. Yeh din badlenge”- “I wasn’t born just to die like this. These days will change.”

Shabana contrasted those difficult beginnings with Javed’s life decades later, describing October 4, 1964, as the day a nearly penniless 19-year-old arrived in Bombay and October 4, 2026, as a milestone marking a life that gave India some of its most memorable words.

“Some journeys begin with almost nothing. Except a dream. If he can do it, so can you. Never give up,” she wrote.

The post drew reactions from several celebrities, including Javed and Shabana’s daughter Zoya Akhtar, actors Hrithik Roshan, Dia Mirza, Divya Dutta and Amruta Subhash. Music composer Ankur Tewari also commented on the post.
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Javed Akhtar’s early years and rise in Bollywood

Javed has previously spoken about his struggles in Mumbai in the 2024 docuseries Angry Young Men. He recalled arriving in the city hoping to work as an assistant director, with ambitions of eventually becoming a filmmaker.

After moving out of his father and poet Jan Nisar Akhtar’s home, Javed said he slept wherever he could find a place, including friends’ homes, railway stations, parks, studio compounds and corridors. He also recalled walking long distances because he did not have money for bus fare and going without food for days.

His fortunes eventually changed. Javed Akhtar went on to form the celebrated writing partnership Salim-Javed with Salim Khan. The duo wrote several landmark Hindi films, including Zanjeer, Deewaar, Sholay, Don, Trishul, Shaan and Shakti.

Javed has said that his years of hunger and deprivation continued to affect him even after achieving success. In Angry Young Men, he recalled staying in luxury hotels and being served lavish meals while still wondering about the days when he had nothing to eat.

The veteran writer and lyricist turned 81 on October 4, 2026.