How Zoya Akhtar’s Morning Strolls with Salim Khan Sparked the ‘Angry Young Men’ Docuseries | Bollywood

Hello doston, Khabree Kiran is back with another gossip-laden post from the world of Bollywood! Tighten your seatbelts because we have a juicy story about our very own Zoya Akhtar and her latest passion project. You know what they say, Bollywood never sleeps and neither do I! 🕵️‍♀️

So, picture this: Zoya Akhtar, the queen of cinematic storytelling, taking her morning stroll at Bandstand. Who does she bump into? None other than Salim Khan, the legendary scriptwriter. While most of us are busy fighting for the last vada pav at the stalls, these two are giving birth to ideas that will rock the film industry. Zoya’s random walks with Salim uncle (yes, she calls him that, so cute na?) led to the creation of the docuseries Angry Young Men. Talk about productive morning jogs! 🤯

Now, let’s get into the masala. According to Zoya, Salim uncle would regale her with tales from his writing days with her dad, Javed Akhtar. Imagine the scene: Zoya sitting on a bench, totally engrossed as Salim Khan spins yarns about how they crafted the scripts of iconic movies. Zoya thought, "Yeh toh record karna padega." And boy, are we glad she did!

Zoya and her co-producer Reema Kagti finally mustered up the courage to approach Salim Khan during one of these walks. “Bhai, documentary banani hai, chalega kya?” they asked. And guess what? He said, “Haan, kyun nahi!” With Salim uncle onboard, they got Javed Akhtar’s nod too. The rest, as they say, is history. Even Salman Khan, who usually prefers flexing his muscles over flexing his creative chops, decided to jump in. Family affair much? 😆

Angry Young Men dives deep into the golden age of Salim-Javed, the dynamic duo whose scripts guaranteed blockbusters in the 70s and 80s. From Zanjeer to Sholay to Deewar, these guys were the original scriptwriting rockstars. And let’s be clear, no one has managed to replicate their success yet. Sorry, not sorry!

Zoya, Farhan, and their Tiger Baby production banner, along with Excel Entertainment and Salman Khan, have co-produced this three-part docuseries. It’s a passion project, especially for the Akhtar siblings. Zoya candidly mentioned that no other writers have achieved the star status that Salim-Javed did. And she’s right, yaar. These men were legends, and this documentary aims to immortalize their legacy for future generations of writers.

Film editor Namrata Rao directed the series and admitted that she felt like doing a “cartwheel” when she got the offer. Can you blame her? Working on a project about two of Bollywood’s most iconic writers is like hitting the jackpot! 🎰

The docuseries also features interviews with the who’s who of Bollywood, including Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini, Hrithik Roshan, Aamir Khan, and Kannada star Yash. It’s a star filled tribute to the men who defined an era.

Mark your calendars, folks! Angry Young Men is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on August 20. Get ready for a nostalgia trip through the golden era of Bollywood.

Kiran’s Gyan: In Bollywood, you never know what a morning walk might lead to—maybe a blockbuster idea or perhaps just a few extra calories burned! 😜 Keep your joggers on and your ears open, you might just stumble upon the next big hit!

Tags: Zoya Akhtar, Salim Khan, Javed Akhtar, Salman Khan, Bollywood, Docuseries, Angry Young Men, Amazon Prime