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 journalist and writer Tabeenah Anjum, 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 renowned poet, writer, activist and lyricist.With five National Awards and the revered Sahitya Akademi Award to his credit, he is a luminary in Indian literature and cinema. His books, including the bestselling Lava and the influential Talking Films, are considered essential works in their respective fields. A transformative figure in policy as well as art, Akhtar authored the Copyright Amendment Bill and is consistently ranked among India's most influential public figures.

Tabeenah Anjum is a journalist with over fifteen years of experience in print and multimedia, reporting on politics, gender, human rights, migrant rights, and issues affecting marginalized communities in Rajasthan and neighbouring states. She writes for Outlook and contributes long-form reportage to The Quint, Article 14, Times of India Plus, BBC, and others. Her debut non-fiction book, From Dynasties to Democracy: Politics, Caste and Power Struggles in Rajasthan, is published by Pan Macmillan. An award-winning photographer, she has received the National Award in Photography (2015) and the Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II Award (2017). She holds a master’s in journalism and a PhD.

Follow us on –

Website - https://jaipurliteraturefestival.org/
Facebook - Facebook: JaipurLitFest
YouTube -   jprlitfest
Instagram -  Instagram: jaipurlitfest
Twitter -   Twitter: JaipurLitFest

#javedakhtar #urdu #jaipurliteraturefestival2026