Javed Siddiqui

Biography

Javed Siddiqui (born 13 January 1942) is a Hindi and Urdu screenwriter, dialogue writer, and playwright from India. He has written over 50 storylines, screenplays and dialogues.

During his career, Siddiqi has collaborated with some of India's most prominent filmmakers, from independent directors like Satyajit Ray and Shyam Benegal to commercial directors like Yash Chopra and Subhash Ghai. 

He has become an integral part of Indian cinema, in both commercial and art cinema fields.

Siddiqi has won two Filmfare Awards, two Star Screen Awards, and one BFJA Award. In 2010, he announced his association with Tumbhi where he would review artists and their artwork.

Javed Siddiqi belongs to the family of great freedom fighters, Mohammad Ali Jouhar and his brother Maulana Shaukat Ali well known as the Ali brothers. 

His great-grandfather Hafiz Ahmed Ali Shauq was a historian and had written a number of books, he was the first librarian of Shahi Qutub Khana now known as Raza Library. His father Shujaat Ali, had served in the same library as an assistant librarian for a long time.

His early education was in Rampur's Hamid High School and Jaame-ul-Uloom, Furqaniah. He passed his high school in English at Aligarh Muslim University. 

At the very early age of 17, he migrated to Bombay, and under the able guidance of his uncle Maulana Zahid Shaukat Ali, Javed started his career as a journalist in his Urdu newspaper Khilafat Daily. 

He then proceeded to work in newspapers such as Inquilab and Hindustan and then started his own newspaper named Urdu Reporter.

Siddiqi started his career in films as a dialogue writer and assistant director to Satyajit Ray in Shatranj Ke Khilari. He also assisted James Ivory as chief assistant director.

Siddiqi has four children: Murad, Lubna, Sameer, and Zeba. Lubna Salim, and Sameer Siddiqui are both involved in the film and theatre arena.