The much awaited documentary series Angry Young Men, which tells the story of the iconic collaboration between writers Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan, has recently premiered on Prime Video. The three part series, produced by Zoya Akhtar's Tiger Baby, Farhan Akhtar's Excel Entertainment and Salman Khan Films, delves into the remarkable journey of these two legendary screenwriters. However fans were curious as to why the pair did not participate in an interview together for the film.

During a recent conversation with The Indian Express’s Expresso Zoya Akhtar shared insights into the reasoning behind it. Although Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan came together for a photoshoot after the series, their interviews were conducted separately. Zoya explained that this decision was made by Namrata Rao the director of the series who believed that having interviews would enhance the storytelling experience.

"When Namrata started shooting them separately, the patterns in their lives and journeys began forming naturally," Zoya explained. "That one meeting at the end gave it a perfect closure."She mentioned that although it was ultimately up to the director to decide she backed the choice once she grasped Rao's innovative perspective.

There was a lot of speculation about why Angry Young Men wasn't helmed by a member of the Akhtar or Khan clan given that Zoya Farhan Akhtar, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan are all seasoned directors. In response to this Zoya explained that the family made a conscious decision to bring in an outsider to direct the show in order to infuse it with a new viewpoint. "If one of the kids did it, it would be too personal. You don’t get that distance, that objective gaze."

She stressed the significance of including a viewpoint especially considering the dominant masculine presence of Salim Javed. “They have such a male persona, but they are not offensive males,” Zoya expressed that having a woman’s perspective enriched the narrative. She believed Namrata Rao was the ideal pick for the role as her direction infused a fresh and impartial viewpoint into the documentary series.