Javed Akhtar is a man who has dedicated 50 long years of his life to literature, the entertainment industry, and politics. He is part of a lineage of not less than seven generations of eminent Urdu poets and writers. Deewar, Sholay, Zanjeer, and many more blockbuster movies have been written by him. Not only that, this eminent lyricist has penned the songs for movies such as Dil Chahta Hai, 1942: A Love Story, Silsila, Lagaan, and many more. This man’s pen has the power to create timeless art. Can we ever forget the lyrics of ‘Sham’ from the movie Aisha? Yes, the work of Javed Akhtar. Or say ‘Tanhai’ from Dil Chahta Hai, or ‘Do Pal Ruka Khwaabon ka Karwaan’ from Veer Zara; these songs are unforgettable! But in this article, we will focus on his shayaris. His shayaris are short, simple, and crisp. But even in such a few words, they have the power to pierce through your heart. Here are a few short shayaris by Javed Akhtar to invoke the philosopher in you!
Also read: 15 Ayushmann Khurana Shayaris That Are Absolutely Beautiful
1. Kabhi jo khwaab tha who pa aliya hai
Magar jo kho gayi who cheez kya thi
2. Zara si baat jo faili toh daastaan bani,
Woh baat khatm hui, daastaan baaki hai
3. Un chiraagon mein tel hi kam tha
Kyon gila fir humein hawa se rahe
4. Kyun darein zindagi mein kya hoga?
Kuch na hoga toh tazurba hoga
5. Musibat aur lambi zindagi,
Buzurgo ki dua ne maar daala
6. Gin-gin ke sikke hath mera khurdura hua
Jaati rahi sparsh ke narmi, bura hua
7. Tumhein bhi yaad nahi aur mai bhi bhool gaya
Vo lamha kitna haseen tha magar fuzool gaya
8. Oh nehar ek kissa hai duniya ke vaaste
Ferhaad ne taraasha tha khud ko chattaan par
9. Unchi imaaraton se makaan mera ghir gaya
Kuch log mere hisse ka suraj bhi kha gaye
10. Sab ka Khushi se faasla ek kadam hai
Har ghar mein bas ek hi kamra kam hai
11. Is shehar mein jeene ke andaaz niraale hain
Hontho pe lateefe hain aawaz mein chhaale hain
12. Raat sar par hai aur safar baaki
Humko chalna zara savere tha
13. Akla yeh kehti duniya milti hai bazaar mein,
Dil magar yeh kehta hai kuch aur behtar dekhiye
14. Tu toh mat keh hume bura Duniya,
Tune dhaala hai aur dhale hain hum…
15. Dard ke phool bhi khilte hain bikhar jaate hain,
Jakhm kaise bhi ho kuch roj mein bhar jaate hain…
The other day I visited Javed Akhtar’s official website. There was a segment there, named ‘Apne Baare Mein’. It was the story of his life, in three languages- Hindi, Urdu, and English. I decided to read the one in Hindi. There is a reason why I called this man a magical wordsmith in the title of this article. His words have an unexplainable engaging prowess that remains unmatched. Be it his shayaris, his scripts, or his speeches, he has mastered his art. If you enjoyed reading this list of shayaris by Javed Akhtar, then do let me know in the comments section!