Shabana Azmi opened up about one of the difficult phases of her married life with Javed Akhtar, when the latter battled with alcoholism.
Shabana Azmi has been one such iconic actresses of the glorious decades of films, known for her unapologetic views and bold nature. Time and again, the actress has never fretted from speaking her mind, be it about her personal life or professional world. For the unversed, Shabana is married to eminent screen-writer and lyricist, Javed Akhtar. And recently, she opened up about an unheard anecdote from her life.
In an interaction with Arbaaz Khan on his show, The Invincibles, Shabana Azmi opened up about one of the most challenging phase of her marital life, when she dealt with her husband, Javed Akhtar’s alcoholism. The actress remembered returning to their flat in London, when she found her husband stinking of alcohol. Adding how Javed had realised that he wouldn’t live long if he continued drinking, Shabana said:
“He knew that if I go on like this, I won’t live for long and I won’t be able to do my work creatively. We were in a flat in London. He was stinking of alcohol and I said ‘oh my god, this is going to be one of those trips.”
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Moving forth in her revelation, Shabana Azmi talked about that particular day, when Javed Akhtar suddenly asked her to make breakfast, after which he surprised her and promised to quit alcohol forever. When she further questioned the screenwriter about whether he meant what he said, Javed responded to Shabana that he would indeed stop drinking from there onwards. Expressing how Javed Akhtar hasn’t touched alcohol since then, the veteran actress revealed:
“Very quietly he told me ‘Make me some breakfast’. He had breakfast and after that he told me, ‘I am not going to drink anymore’. I didn’t say anything. I just said ‘Means?’ He said ‘I am not going to drink anymore’. He had never said this before and from that day, he has not touched (alcohol). It is impossible for me to have the kind of willpower he has.”
Earlier, during a conversation on the ABP Ideas of India Summit 2023, Javed Akhtar accepted the toll his drinking habits took on his marital life with Shabana Azmi. He claimed that his wife wasn’t in love with him due to his alcoholism, but loved him in spite of it. Furthermore, he asserted that his wife was extremely elated when he quitted drinking, and he too, realised the lack of dignity such a habit has in a person's life.
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Previously, while gracing an episode of the show, Satyamev Jayate, Javed Akhtar revealed that it was at about the age of 19, when he first started with the habit of drinking. He revealed that while it began with him enjoying a few round of drinks with his friends, after his immense success, it evolved into becoming one full bottle for himself. In his words:
“I started drinking at a very young age of 19. When I came to Bombay after completing my graduation I started drinking with friends and later it became a habit. Earlier I didn’t have enough money, but then after my success, money flow was also taken care of. Then came a time when I would drink one bottle a day.”
What are your views on Shabana Azmi’s revelations?
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