- Wednesday, January 22, 2025
The Yash Chopra-directed film, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor, depicted the contrasting lives of two brothers navigating poverty and moral dilemmas in Mumbai
By: India Weekly
AS “Deewaar” completes 50 years since its release on January 21, 1975, its co-writer Javed Akhtar reflected on the film’s enduring legacy.
“How time passes so quietly and so quickly. It is happening all the time but remains a wonder,” Akhtar wrote.
The Yash Chopra-directed film, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor, depicted the contrasting lives of two brothers navigating poverty and moral dilemmas in Mumbai.
While Vijay (Bachchan) turns to crime, Ravi (Kapoor) becomes an honest police officer.
Known for its impactful dialogues, including “mere paas maa hai,” “Deewaar” established Salim-Javed as leading voices in Hindi cinema.
The duo also introduced the ‘Angry Young Man’ archetype with Bachchan’s character in the earlier film “Zanjeer.”
The film’s climax, a pivotal moment in the narrative, was finalised only after the script was complete.
“People say ‘Deewaar’ has a perfect screenplay. We wrote it in 18 days from a small storyline,” Akhtar shared in the Prime Video series “Angry Young Men.”
Film historians and analysts say the duo had their finger on the pulse of the country with movies that underscored the deep-seated disappointment in masses.
But they were “unaware of all this” while writing, Akhtar said in the documentary.
“Nor did we think our stories had sociopolitical relevance. And it’s good. I’m very happy that we were innocent about it. Because we were part of that same society, the same world, and we were breathing the same air,” Akhtar added.
In 1976, “Deewaar” won Filmfare Awards for best story, screenplay, and dialogue, cementing its place in film history.
