Javed Akhtar is a scriptwriter, lyricist, poet, and activist. For his work in cinema, he has received five National awards and a staggering fifteen Filmfare awards. He has also been awarded the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan, and the Sahitya Akademi Award. Admired for his secular, liberal, and progressive values, he is known for his poetry and books that often speak against communalism, social injustice, National Integration, and Women's Rights. In 2020, he also became the first Indian recipient of the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award, for critical thinking, holding religious dogma upto scrutiny and upholding humanist values. Some of his famous books are: Tarkash, Lava, Khwab Ke Gaon Mein, Talking Films, and Talking songs