Celebrating Javed Akhtar and the alpha males he co-wrote, who fought with dignity, not toxicity!

Let's take a look at how Salim-Javed crafted principled heroes who stood for justice, not toxicity, and why we need them back today!

Today’s Indian cinema is riding high on alpha male archetype. The chain-smoking, heavily bearded protagonist with bad temper and giant muscles has become the ultimate formula for guaranteed box office success. While celebrating masculinity in itself is fine, what’s truly concerning is they often glorify a toxic version of it. Big budget Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films are now headlined by protagonists who are excessively violent and rebellious without much cause, who particularly ill-treat women in gory stories of revenge and control. However, this trend stands in sharp contrast to the alpha male introduced in the 1970s by the legendary screenwriter Javed Akhtar alongside Salim Khan. Their collaboration breathed new life into Hindi cinema that gave expression to the angst of the common man against societal and systematic inequalities of the time. Art is at its most powerful when it holds up a mirror to society. Hence, the ‘angry young men' they created- most famously embodied by Amitabh Bachchan- resonated with the audience in no time. Salim-Javed’s Vijay was not a rebel without cause- his aggression arised from socio-economic hardships like poverty, corruption, unemployment and a discriminatory system which stripped ordinary men and women of their voice and their right to live with dignity- a struggle that resonates with millions of Indians even today!

Take the iconic Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan) in Deewaar. Growing up in abject poverty, Vijay’s worldview is shaped by watching his honest father suffer humiliation at the hands of the corrupt forces, and his family being torn apart due to this. He is convinced that truth has no takers and the society only bows to the rich and powerful. Thus, he resorts to crime not to ‘aura farm’ but as a desperate measure towards class mobility. Yet, even as he becomes a powerful underworld figure, who smokes, fights and leads a gang of smugglers, Vijay still maintains a firm moral code. He protects the vulnerable, carries deep respect for his mother and partner and quietly acknowledges the wrongness of the path he had to undertake to live a life of dignity. What is to be noted here is that his bitterness of our hero is rooted in real world problems, and awareness that the system offered him no honorable road forward.

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Vijay in Zanjeer is also a hypermasculine figure, but not without some real emotional depth and nuance. He is a principled police officer whose resentments arise from personal loss and systematic corruption and his failed attempts to make things better. Vijay, too has an imposing personality- There is a brooding intensity in his eyes and confidence of righteousness in his deep voice. He is authoritative and uncompromising but never unnecessarily ruthless! Despite his aggression, he has an innate goodness that makes Mala (Jaya Bhaduri) feel safe in his care, knowing his strength exists to protect, and not to dominate her. I feel what makes these characters timeless were the layers they carried. Most of them were let down by the society or systems they were born in, yet they refused to let bitterness get the better of their core humanity. But here's the most heartwarming part- they weren’t afraid to show their vulnerable side, especially in those quiet family moments. Something that I feel actually made their masculinity feel more grounded, and powerful.

Another powerful example is Vijay Pal Singh in Kaala Patthar- a film loosely based on a real mining tragedy. Here, Amitabh Bachchan embodies a broken man, a former Navy captain weighed down by his guilt of abandoning a sinking ship that killed many. As an act of punishing himself, he works in a deadly coal mine where his redemption finally takes place. Vijay's personality here is tough, brooding and that of a fierce protector of his fellow miners. However, his alpha energy is born out of a desperate need to make things right and not to intimate or belittle anyone, including the ladies who work around the mines. 

Similarly, in Don, the duo crafted a stylish, and equal parts tough and charming anti-hero (again Amitabh Bachchan in a dual role). While the real Don is cunning, manipulative, and effortlessly commanding as a mafia lord, he still exudes intellect and a cool composure. While the impersonating Vijay brings vulnerability, heart and humor through romantic and familial subplots. We love how Salim-Javed weaved restraint and tenderness even in villainy as opposed to the mindless brutality that has become a norm today in mega budget actioners!

On another note, what also draws me the most to these films as a woman is how progressive they were in their treatment of female characters almost 5 decades ago! All of them- whether it was Parveen Babi’s independent Anita in Deewaar, Jaya Bhaduri’s street-smart Mala in Zanjeer, or Rakhee’s village doctor in Kaala Patthar- were portrayed as working professionals who believed in living a life of dignity. They had agency, jobs, and identities of their own and impacted the storyline meaningfully irrespective of screen time.  

On Javed Akhtar's birthday, it's worth celebrating how he, alongside co-writer Salim Khan, endorsed the idea of masculinity that felt graceful, principled, and always rooted in standing up for the right cause. In an era of exaggerated toxicity- where some ‘hypermasculine’ protagonists glorify gratuitous cruelty, abuse, and outright misogyny without a hint of nuance or accountability. The duo never resorted to such tropes and ensured the women they wrote were respected, their men stood up for justice without losing humanity and were powerful without ever being destructive or unreasonable! These are the kind of men I want to see more of- flawed, fierce, and dignified even in their aggression!