Angry Young Men dives into the lives of the celebrated writer duo -Salim-Javed, whose Dostana changed the Andaz of the Indian Cinematic Plane, however, it barely scratches the surface of the magnificence of the minds behind it; resulting in a warm filter bubble of sycophancy.

Kitne aadmi the? 

Sardar do, Salim aur Javed !

The aforementioned quote precisely encapsulates the colossal impact the writer duo of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar had, and continue to have, on the Indian cinema and landscape as a whole. Whether it is the ‘Soja, warna Gabbar aa Jaega’ that is frequented by mothers around the country, the gratifying ‘mere paas maa hai’, or the hysterical ‘Mogambo khush hua’; each one of us carries a slight amount of Salim-Javed in our veins, perennially referencing their iconic dialogues and characters, often blissfully unaware of their origins. With short, albeit crisp lines that resonate with people against the backdrop of dimensions, divisions, and geography, the duo commenced a dramatic tectonic shift in Indian Cinema. However, ‘Angry Young Men’ fell short of truly encapsulating the grandeur the duo holds. 

The documentary, produced by Excel Entertainment, Tiger Baby Productions, and Salman Khan Films—all managed by family members—feels like an extended family video. It highlights the achievements of Salim-Javed and features members of the film industry celebrating them. However, it offers little insight into the creative minds behind their impressive two-time blockbuster streak of ten films. The show was driven by nostalgia, relying heavily on dramatic effects and long soundtracks. The struggles dragged on endlessly compared to the brief bursts of success, probably just to garner a sense of faux sympathy for the duo. It would not be an exaggeration to state that the Old Koffee with Karan episodes or the renowned Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai episodes, did a better job at creating an echo chamber of appreciation than the way this series aimed to.

‘Main Phenke Hue Paise Nahi Uthata’, the first part of the tri-episodic documentary, follows Salim Khan, a young man in his twenties who arrives in the city of dreams. While his good looks guaranteed him the stage name of ‘Prince Salim’ and a constant infamous comparison to James Dean, the lack of exceptional acting abilities type-casted him into the role of the stereotypical good-looking minor character, which slowly descended to cameos, advertisements, and B-Grade movies. In the decline of his acting career, he met Javed. In an almost Kismat Konnection, they met at the sets of Sarhadi Lootera, where Salim was a small-time actor, and Javed the clap boy-turned-dialog writer, and thus began their Dostana.

The Second Episode ‘Mere Paas Maa Hai’ revolved around this freshly minted partnership that shook the confined fortress that Bollywood bigwigs established it to be. From Rom-Coms like Geeta aur Seeta and Andaaz, the duo progressed towards Zanjeer, a marvel that ensured they’d forever be famous. While Javed claims that the Angry Young Man prototype, which embarked from the creation of “Vijay”, an anti-establishment, eat-the-rich rational person, was not influenced by the socio-political situation of the country, the stark shift in the interest of the nation from the Romantic Chocolate-Boy heroes to the Angry Young Man, mirrored the angst that the young nation experienced. In a political turmoil embarked by staggering unemployment, deprivation of resources, and a widening economic gap between the classes, ‘Vijay’ became the Messiah that rejuvenated the spirit of insurgence amongst the people. However, while the documentary continues to celebrate the character built and its expanse on cinematic history, it barely divulges into the socio-economic and political impact brought about, and centres around hollow hero worship of the character, and its creators by renowned celebrities. 

The Last episode of the series is probably where the lines of PR and praise vanished, a large chunk of the episode focused on white-washing the public perception of the duo. A preposterous narrative of ‘Pyaar toh ho Jaata Hai’ reverberated through the episode to justify both Salim and Javed’s failed marriages due to adultery. Their short-lived separation was broached without revealing its causes, with any shortcomings artfully obscured, while the discourse continued to bandwagon their combined star-power. 

The mere mention of their names brings about prominent epistemological moments from the Indian cinematic trajectory, the petrifying portrayal of ‘Gabbar Singh’, the riveting morality clash between ‘Vijay’ and ‘Ravi’ in Deewar, the dual role in Don et.al. The Show focused on the success of these films and their underlying impact on the lives of Salim-Javed, however, the intellect of the writer duo was left untouched. Of how their brainchild Vijay, a morally grey character, became the fan favourite in a nation that doted on righteous moral-compass-driven leads, how they helmed one of the first female-led movies in the country with Seeta aur Geeta, of how mundane conversations and dialects were picked by them and mutated into momentous and unforgettable dialogues; a lot was left unsaid and superseded, and thus, brewed on what can easily be described as a long-form ‘Viral Bhayani’video. 

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Featured Image Credit:Amazon Prime Videos

Shikhar Pathak

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