Javed Akhtar Honoured with Dostoevsky Star Award; Shabana Azmi Shares the Moment

Veteran lyricist, poet, and writer Javed Akhtar has been awarded the prestigious Dostoevsky Star Award for his outstanding contribution to cultural dialogue and literary heritage. The honour was announced on Friday, with actor and wife Shabana Azmi sharing the proud moment on Instagram.

Posting a photo of Javed receiving the award, Shabana wrote, “Another big honour for Javed Akhtar as he received the Dostoevsky Star Award! This year, the Russian House is deeply honoured to award the renowned poet, lyricist, and public intellectual Mr. Javed Akhtar, in recognition of his remarkable influence on cultural dialogue and literary heritage.”

Widely regarded as one of the most iconic screenwriters and lyricists in Indian cinema, Javed Akhtar’s contributions span decades. He has won five National Film Awards for Best Lyrics and was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1999, followed by the Padma Bhushan in 2007. He won Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu for his poetry collection Lava, India’s second-highest literary recognition. In 2020, he also became the only Indian recipient of the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award, acknowledging his outspoken advocacy for rationalism and secularism.

Javed Akhtar is known for his candid and thought-provoking views on politics, secularism, and societal issues, beyond his artistic work. Whether through public forums, literary gatherings, or on social media, he continues to speak out on matters of national and global importance.

Recently, he addressed the strained relationship between India and Pakistan in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, most of them tourists. Speaking at the launch of the book Farewell Karachi, he reflected on missed opportunities for reconciliation between the two nations.

“It’s a bit late in the day for reconciliation,” he said. “People in India only knew what happened to them after 1947–48, and those across the border knew their side of the story. If only they had all sat together once... It’s been 75 years. They would be in their 90s now—how many of them are even still alive?”

Javed Akhtar's latest accolade is yet another milestone in a life devoted to words, culture, and dialogue—both artistic and political.