Inspired by the docuseries 'Angry Young Men,' content creator Pulkit Kochar explores what makes Bollywood’s iconic duos a perfect work partnership.
Prime Video’s latest documentary, 'Angry Young Men', is all the buzz, and as a Bollywood fan, I had to watch it. I was eager to uncover juicy facts about the iconic writer duo, Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. The documentary had me hooked, especially by the near-perfect partnership between Salim and Javed. But is there really such a thing as the 'perfect work partner'?
In an industry as unpredictable as Bollywood, a strong working relationship is a game-changer. After nearly eight years in Mumbai, I know how isolating it can be when your ideas feel like they only make sense to you. As a content creator, I often feel drained doing everything solo. Trusting someone else with your vision is tough; sometimes, only you can see it clearly. That's where Salim-Javed won- they found someone who truly shared their vision. They split responsibilities that would be overwhelming alone: Salim sahab wrote the story, Javed sahab crafted the dialogues, and together they created successful screenplays. A perfect work partnership goes beyond sharing the workload, though. As the docuseries revealed, it was Salim sahab who bravely fought to get them both writing credits.
Over the years, Bollywood has been graced with duos who elevate each other’s work and leave a lasting impact. From the legendary Laxmikant-Pyarelal to the iconic Abbas-Mustan, these partnerships have brought magic to the screen. Watching Angry Young Men made me wonder- what makes these duos so special?
Take Zoya Akhtar, for instance. She and Reema Kagti have built a remarkable partnership as co-screenwriters. They began as assistant directors on the same films and have since co-written seven movies and two web shows together. Fun fact: Every Zoya film features Reema as a co-writer, and every Reema film includes Zoya. Their bond has only grown stronger, leading them to co-own Tiger Baby Movies. Together, they’ve brought independent female characters to life—something Bollywood sorely needs. From Sona in Luck By Chance to Tara in Made In Heaven, Farah in Dil Dhadakne Do, Laila in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, and Anjali in Dahaad, their impact is undeniable!
Another impressive filmmaking duo making waves, especially in the OTT world, is Raj & DK. From their debut film, 99, to their latest hit, The Family Man, they constantly bring fresh perspectives. As co-writers, they’ve created iconic horror comedies like Stree, and genre-defining hits like Go Goa Gone, with Sita Menon. They’ve even redefined Manoj Bajpayee's career, finally giving him the recognition he deserves. With ideas as whacky as theirs, it’s crucial to have a partner who believes in bringing them to life. Fun fact: They’re now teaming up with another iconic duo- the Russo Brothers!
When it comes to movie music, the duo that fascinates me most is Amit Trivedi and Amitabh Bhattacharya. They’ve collaborated on around 25 films, delivering iconic albums like Dev D, Lootera, Kedarnath, and Udaan. Fun trivia: Trivedi aimed to be a composer, while Amitabh wanted to be a singer. Amitabh wrote rough lyrics for Amit to show producers, who loved them so much that Amitabh became a lyricist. Their friendship gave us an iconic lyricist and amazing music.
Duos don't need identical expertise to create something mesmerizing. Take Imtiaz Ali and Irshad Kamil, for instance. Irshad has penned lyrics for every Imtiaz project, including notable works like Cocktail, Laila Majnu, and Rockstar. His words conveyed much of Jordan's essence, as seen in "Ishq Mitaaye," where he wrote, “Dass kyun dara, pakkiyan jadan” (Why fear when I have strong roots). Imtiaz used these lyrics to showcase Chamkila’s grounded singing. Irshad’s lyrics consistently capture the internal conflicts of Imtiaz’s characters, making this partnership shine even when the movie falters.
Even though I’ve praised many iconic duos, none matched the power of Salim-Javed. Their split hurts because they maintained rare dignity in both their partnership and separation. This dignity showed in their characters, like when their tormented protagonist said, "Main aaj bhi phenke hue paise nahi uthata." They shared not just skills but a deep strength of character and morality. As Akhtar Sahab noted, their "divorce" makes him feel incomplete, and fans share this sentiment. What Salim-Javed created was as magical as any love story- think Laila-Majnu or Heer-Ranjha. As Namrata Rao said, “Together, they are Vijay.” As a fan of all iconic duos, I hope their careers are as successful and their endings as graceful as Salim-Javed’s.
This article has been penned by content creator Pulkit Kochar.
Pulkit creates content on Instagram, where he shares content about Hindi cinema, movies, trivia, and everything filmy!
Angry Young Menis currently streaming on Prime Video!
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