There are a good number of Bollywood celebrities, who have shared many struggle stories when they came to Mumbai and famous lyricist, Javed Akhtar is also one of them. Javed came to Mumbai back in the 1960s and struggled hard to make his place in the industry. Some of the iconic works of Javed include Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga from 1942: A Love Story, Main Agar Kahu from Om Shanti Om, Dil Dhadakne Do from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara, Iktara from Wake Up Sid, Tum Hi Dekho Na from Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna.
But do you know, Javed once lived in a small room whose rent was Rs. 120? Yes, you read it right. The famous lyricist used to share the room with a person. In a recent interview with Mid-Day, Javed recalls the day when he used to share a room with a person and refused to let Shatrughan Sinha enter his rented house. Read on to know what the veteran lyricist shared.
Javed Akhtar refused to share a room with Shatrughan Sinha
Just like the other celebrities, Javed too has his own share of struggles in the industry. From doing odd jobs to working as an assistant director, the veteran lyricist managed to bag a job as a writer in Sippy Films back in 1970. This job made him earn only Rs. 175 a month. There was a time when Javed used to share a small room with someone, whose total rent was Rs. 120. In a fresh new interview with Mid-Day, Javed recalled how once Shatrughan Sinha approached him for accommodation in his rented house, and he turned down the proposal by jokingly stating that he couldn’t afford the Rs. 60 rent. Recalling the day, Javed said:
“Mere paas ek room aagaya tha… when I was doing well. Toh uska Rs 120 mahina kiraya tha… Rs 60 I used to give… and Rs 60, somebody else. Toh mere paas Shatru aaya, kehne laga ki tum mujhe rakh lo apne kamre mein. I said, ‘Pagaal ho tum? Tum mujhe bhi nikalwa doge. Rs 60 mahina tum kahaan se laaoge? Har mahine tum Rs 60 de sakoge? Impossible.’”
Javed Akhtar’s personal life
Born on January 16, 1945, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Javed Akhtar, is the son of Jan Nisar Akhtar, a Bollywood songwriter and an Urdu poet. At the age of 8, Javed lost his mother, Safiya Siraj-ul Haq. Javed spent his childhood in Lucknow and completed his schooling at Colvin Taluqdar’s College. Javed then went to Saifiya College in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, to complete his graduation.
The veteran lyricist married Honey Irani in 1972, when the latter was just 17 years old. The couple welcomed two children, Zoya Akhtar and Farhan Akhtar. But in 1985, the duo got divorced. When Javed was married to Honey, he fell in love with Shabana Azmi and eventually got married in 1984. Since then, the duo has set an example of a happily married couple.
What are your thoughts on Javed Akhtar’s revelation about not sharing a room with Shatrughan Sinha? Let us know.
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