Zoya Akhtar Announces Upcoming Crime-Mafia Film; Reflects on Writing Style Inspired by Salim-Javed, Emphasizing Authenticity over Gimmicks
Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar confirms that she is currently working on a crime mafia film. She discussed her father, Javed Akhtar, and his former writing partner, Salim Khan, and their writing style. Zoya is busy with the promotions of the docu-drama series, Angry Young Men. In a recent interview, she talked about how her father’s work has influenced her.
In a recent conversation with Indian Express, Zoya Akhtar addressed reports about her plans to make a gangster film following The Archies that would reflect Salim-Javed’s writing style. Confirming the reports, she mentioned that she is currently working on the script.
She stated, “I am working on the crime-mafia film! I am working on the script right now. So fingers crossed, that it comes to something, some heft!”
Zoya also shared how she has drawn inspiration from Salim-Javed’s work. She made her directorial debut with Luck By Chance in 2009, starring her brother Farhan Akhtar. She noted that Salim-Javed’s characters weren’t simply “black and white” but had depth and complexity.
When asked about specific learnings from Salim-Javed’s works, Zoya highlighted the shades of gray in their characters. This complexity has also influenced her own work.
Zoya admitted that her characters are not one-dimensional, stating, “The fact that they (Salim-Javed) didn’t resort to cheap tricks, they weren’t vulgar ever. That has influenced our work.” She also mentioned the importance of respect for all characters, no matter how minor their role.
Zoya praised Salim-Javed for portraying women with agency in their male-oriented world. She emphasized that women in their stories were not mere props but had their own identity and roles within the narrative.
She also discussed how her upcoming docu-drama series, Angry Young Men, explores the gender dynamics in Salim-Javed’s writing. The series delves into their portrayal of women and reflects on ways they could have improved.
Angry Young Men will be available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video starting from Aug 20.
ALSO READ: Angry Young Men Trailer: Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and others give peek into the ‘hottest writing Jodi’ of Salim-Javed