Legendary actor Shabana Azim recently revealed that she struggled to deal with Javed Akhtar’s alcoholism, reflecting that “it was difficult”. She further discussed her life and marriage in a heartfelt conversation with Arbaaz Khan which set off the first episode of The Invincibles Series Season 2.
Table of Contents
Shabana Azim Interview
In the interview, Shabana revealed that her screenwriter-lyricist husband had decided “He won’t be able to live long or do his creative work if he didn’t leave drinking”. She recalled the day Javed finally quit his “excessive” drinking. One day while on a trip in London, “He was stinking of alcohol” and after eating breakfast he suddenly told her, “I am not going to drink anymore.” Shabana was shocked by his words and left speechless because he had never said this before. “Since that day he has not touched (alcohol).” Calling his willpower “incredible”, she added that “It is impossible for me to have the kind of willpower he has.”
Javed Akhtar on Alcoholism
Javed Akhtar publicly discussed his drinking addiction in 2012 on an episode of Satyamev Jayate, hosted by Amir Khan. He revealed that he had started drinking at the young age of 19 and later it developed into a habit. “There was a time when I would drink one bottle a day.” Since that interview, Javed has publicly spoken on numerous occasions about the negative impact alcoholism had on his life and relationships. He eventually quit alcohol completely in 1991.
Their Marriage
On the topic of marriage, Shabana revealed that she initially “kept her distance” from Javed because he was rumoured to be very “arrogant”. However, when her film Sparsh (1980) came out, Javed came home and praised her immensely and also remembered every dialogue and little gesture from the movie. She continued, “That’s when I understood that he had good sensibility.” Whenever she sat down with him, she felt he was the right person for her and their love blossomed from there. She confidently said, “I don’t think we could have gotten married to anyone else.” The duo have been married for 40 years and remain one of Bollywood’s favourite couples, often being snapped together showcasing their adorable bond even after all these years.
)
Relationship with Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar
Shabana also credited Javed’s ex-wife Honey Irani for the loving relationship she shares with her step-children Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar. Even though initially the power affair was quite a contentious topic because at the time he was already married to Honey with his two children, the three share a good relationship today. She said, “The three of us decided that there should be no bitterness in this.”
