Khan, Salim

Salim Abdul Rashid Khan (Hindustani pronunciation: [sɐliːm xɑːn]; born 24 November 1935) is an Indian screenwriter, actor, and film producer. He wrote the screenplays, stories and scripts for numerous Hindi films. He is best known as one half of the prolific screenwriting duo Salim–Javed, along with Javed Akhtar. The pair were among the first Indian screenwriters to achieve star status in Hindi cinema, and remain among the most influential screenwriters in Indian film history. Within the partnership, Salim Khan primarily developed stories and characters, while Akhtar focused on dialogues and screenplay writing. Together, Salim–Javed revolutionised Indian cinema in the 1970s, transforming the Bollywood narrative formula and pioneering the blockbuster format. They popularised the masala film and the Dacoit Western genre, and were instrumental in creating the "angry young man" archetype that defined Amitabh Bachchan’s career. Their major successes include Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Zanjeer (1973), Deewaar (1975), Sholay (1975), Trishul (1978), Kranti (1981), and the Don franchise. Sholay became the highest-grossing Indian film of its time and is frequently listed among the greatest Indian films ever made. Salim Khan is also known as the patriarch of the Salim Khan family, and the father of three Bollywood actors — Salman Khan, Sohail Khan, and Arbaaz Khan — and film producer Alvira Khan Agnihotri. He is married to Sushila Charak (also known as Salma Khan), and to actress Helen. Over his career, Salim Khan has won six Filmfare Awards as part of Salim–Javed's partnership. In 2014, Salim Khan was offered the Padma Shri by the Government of India for his contributions to Hindi cinema, but he declined the award, stating that he deserved a higher honour. In 2024, Amazon Prime Video released a three-part documentary series about the Salim–Javed screenwriting duo titled Angry Young Men. The series explores their creative partnership, their influence on the evolution of Indian cinema, and their personal journeys beyond the partnership.