Javed Akhtar says his children think his writing is outdated

Veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar has made significant contributions to the Hindi film industry over several decades, notably for his work on classics like Sholay, Deewar, and Mr. India. Recently, he revealed that his children, Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, "dream in English" and consider his writing style to be somewhat "outdated." He humorously recounted being asked to write dialogue for a dog in Zoya's film Dil Dhadakne Do.

Akhtar recently  discussed his collaborations with his children and their different approaches to filmmaking. He noted that while Farhan and Zoya primarily think in English, he is more comfortable with Urdu and Hindustani, claiming he has a stronger command of these languages than his children do in English.

Javed admitted that his children often refer to some of his writing as "traditional" and "outdated," which he joked they use to "blackmail" him. He shared insights about working with Farhan on Lakshya and contributed dialogue for Zoya's directorial debut, Luck By Chance.

Javed recalled, "Usmein ek dog tha jo sochta tha. Toh us kutte ke dialogue usne mujhse likhwaye, baaki maine nahin likhe hain."

Reflecting on Zoya's career, he mentioned that she initially sought his help for dialogue in her first film but didn't ask him to collaborate again until Dil Dhadakne Do. He humorously recalled how Zoya requested him to write lines for a thinking dog character in the film, emphasizing her belief that he was the best person for the task.

Dil Dhadakne Do, directed by Zoya, featured an ensemble cast including Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, and Farhan Akhtar, along with notable performances by Anil Kapoor and Shefali Shah.