Proud dad: Farhan Akhtar impresses Javed Akhtar with Wazir

The veteran writer has expressed his appreciation for his son, Farhan Akhtar’s, portrayal of a cop in a film

As one half of the screenwriter duo Salim-Javed, he has written some of the most memorable police characters in Bollywood films, including Amitabh Bachchan’s Inspector Vijay Khanna in Zanjeer (1973), Shashi Kapoor’s Inspector Ravi Verma in Deewar (1975), and Sanjeev Kumar as retired cop Thakur Baldev Singh in Sholay (1975). And now, Javed Akhtar is all praises for his son, Farhan Akhtar, who is playing a cop in upcoming film Wazir that also stars Bachchan.

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A source close to Farhan says that Akhtar Sr reached out to the film’s team after watching the teaser. He messaged his thoughts on Farhan’s role to the producers of the film, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani, in addition to many of his industry friends. "He feels that Farhan’s look is in sync with the character. He has loved Farhan’s portrayal of a cop," says the insider.

Amitabh Bachchan and Farhan Akhtar on the sets of Wazir.

This is the first time that Farhan has essayed the role of a cop. He will be seen as an Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officer in the film.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the movie’s production house confirmed the news, adding, "The response to the teaser and Farhan’s portrayal has been great. The feedback is more valuable when it comes from veterans in the industry, especially someone like his father who has sketched many such roles for several actors."