Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Poet lyricist and screenwriter, Javed Akhtar is the most prominent and acclaimed exponent of the Urdu language. A beacon for poetry, activism, and intellectual thought, Javed Akhtar’s work as lyricist, and scriptwriter transcends generations. In conversation with lawyer, writer, and Urdu scholar Saif Mahmood, Akhtar reflects on the legacy of his poetic lineage and explores the many facets of his oeuvre, while tracing Urdu’s inextricable imprint on India’s multilingual literary landscape.
Javed Akhtar is a celebrated script writer, lyricist, and activist. His first collection of poetry, Tarkash, has received rave reviews, and is one of India’s most sold book of verses in the past 60 years. His books Talking Films and Talking Songs have been hailed as definitive works on Indian cinema. Javed Akhtar has been nominated for the Rajya Sabha, as Member of Parliament, by the President of India 2010. He is the architect of the Copyright Amendment Bill passed by both Houses of Indian Parliament, which, after a long struggle, has finally given Copyright royalties to Writers and Music Directors. In addition, he is the Chairman of IPRS, and television anchor, explaining the intricacies of poetry in a language that is simple to understand.
Saif Mahmood, author of the bestselling Beloved Delhi: A Mughal City and Her Greatest Poets, is an international lawyer, legal scholar and cultural activist who speaks and writes on Urdu poetry and its timeless legacy. His works showcase the richness of Urdu poetic traditions, framing poetry as a living cultural document. Saif holds a doctorate in law and has been Visiting Academic at the University of Oxford and divides his time between London and New Delhi.
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#javedakhtar #urdu #urdulanguage #jlflondon
Poet lyricist and screenwriter, Javed Akhtar is the most prominent and acclaimed exponent of the Urdu language. A beacon for poetry, activism, and intellectual thought, Javed Akhtar’s work as lyricist, and scriptwriter transcends generations. In conversation with lawyer, writer, and Urdu scholar Saif Mahmood, Akhtar reflects on the legacy of his poetic lineage and explores the many facets of his oeuvre, while tracing Urdu’s inextricable imprint on India’s multilingual literary landscape.
Javed Akhtar is a celebrated script writer, lyricist, and activist. His first collection of poetry, Tarkash, has received rave reviews, and is one of India’s most sold book of verses in the past 60 years. His books Talking Films and Talking Songs have been hailed as definitive works on Indian cinema. Javed Akhtar has been nominated for the Rajya Sabha, as Member of Parliament, by the President of India 2010. He is the architect of the Copyright Amendment Bill passed by both Houses of Indian Parliament, which, after a long struggle, has finally given Copyright royalties to Writers and Music Directors. In addition, he is the Chairman of IPRS, and television anchor, explaining the intricacies of poetry in a language that is simple to understand.
Saif Mahmood, author of the bestselling Beloved Delhi: A Mughal City and Her Greatest Poets, is an international lawyer, legal scholar and cultural activist who speaks and writes on Urdu poetry and its timeless legacy. His works showcase the richness of Urdu poetic traditions, framing poetry as a living cultural document. Saif holds a doctorate in law and has been Visiting Academic at the University of Oxford and divides his time between London and New Delhi.
Follow us on –
Website - jlflitfest.org
Facebook - facebook.com/JLFInternational
YouTube - youtube.com/c/jlflitfest
Instagram - instagram.com/jlfinternational
Twitter - twitter.com/JLFLitfest
#javedakhtar #urdu #urdulanguage #jlflondon
