Salim Abdul Rashid Khan, born on November 24, 1935, is an Indian actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He is best known as one-half of the legendary screenwriting duo Salim-Javed, along with Javed Akhtar. Together, they revolutionized Indian cinema in the 1970s and became the most successful screenwriters in the history of Bollywood.

Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar were among the first screenwriters in Hindi cinema to achieve star status. They played a crucial role in transforming and reinventing the Bollywood formula, introducing the concept of blockbuster films. They pioneered genres such as the masala film and the Dacoit Western. Salim Khan was responsible for developing the stories and characters, while Javed Akhtar excelled in writing dialogues.

The duo's films, including the iconic "Sholay" (1975), which was the highest-grossing Indian film at that time, and other blockbusters like "Seeta Aur Geeta" (1972), "Zanjeer" (1973), "Deewaar" (1975), "Kranti" (1981), and the "Don" franchise, are considered among the greatest successes in Indian cinema. "Sholay" is particularly hailed as one of the greatest Indian films ever made.

Salim Khan is also credited with creating the "angry young man" character archetype, which became synonymous with actor Amitabh Bachchan. His contributions to Indian cinema have earned him numerous accolades, including six Filmfare Awards as part of Salim-Javed.

Beyond his career, Salim Khan is known as the patriarch of the Salim Khan family, which includes his three sons, Bollywood actors Salman Khan, Sohail Khan, and Arbaaz Khan, as well as film producer Alvira Khan Agnihotri. He is married to Sushila Charak (also known as Salma Khan) and actress Helen Richardson Khan.

Salim Khan's early years were marked by the loss of both his parents at a young age. His father served in the Indian Imperial Police and held the rank of DIG-Indore. Salim's interest in films developed during his college years, where he excelled in sports, especially cricket. Despite the encouragement he received from classmates, he chose a career in screenwriting instead of pursuing stardom as an actor.

Salim Khan's talent and contributions to the Indian film industry have left a lasting impact, and he was honored with the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian awards, in 2014.