Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Jan 19: Legendary screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar celebrated his 80th birthday on January 17, with a heartwarming and star-studded celebration. The event saw heartfelt tributes, special gifts, and unforgettable moments shared by family and friends.

Actors Vidya Balan and Sidharth Roy Kapoor gave Javed Akhtar a unique, customized cake featuring his face on iconic characters from his celebrated films like Sholay, Deewaar, and Shaan. Shabana Azmi, Javed’s wife, shared a picture of the cake on Instagram, writing, “Sidharth Roy Kapoor and Vidya Balan’s gift to Javed on his birthday. Look carefully at the cake. It’s Javed’s face in the characters.”

Actress Urmila Matondkar also shared glimpses of the grand celebration. She posed with Javed Akhtar and iconic stars Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, capturing the spirit of the evening. A heartwarming video featured Aamir Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, and Shankar Mahadevan singing “Happy Birthday” for the legend.

Urmila’s Instagram post read, “An absolute epic day that it was… Afternoon full of love, laughter, affection, admiration, and great camaraderie... Because it was a special birthday of someone very special to all of us… ‘Jaadu’ in the real sense, as the entire nation is spellbound with his words for decades.”

When asked about the greatest gift he has ever received, Javed Akhtar humbly said, “The best gift I could have asked for is my children. Farhan and Zoya have done well in life. It’s an emotionally and socially aesthetic situation when your children achieve so much. That’s the best gift I could have gotten.”

The evening truly reflected the immense love and admiration Javed Akhtar commands in the industry, as friends and family came together to honour the genius behind some of Indian cinema's most iconic works.