Javed Akhtar recalls having just 20 naye paise in Bombay after producer failed to pay him: ‘Sometimes I had food, sometimes I didn’t’; reveals why he never had a Plan B

Arriving in Bombay in 1964, Javed Akhtar endured a grueling six-year period marked by financial strain. Surviving on intermittent ghostwriting jobs, he often went hungry but was resolute, never allowing thoughts of a safety net to enter his mind. With aspirations to work alongside cinematic giants like Raj Kapoor, his dedication eventually led to his…