Falling in love is easy but maintaining the spark in a relationship and nurturing it, requires patience and a never-giving-up attitude. Every relationship has its own share of ups and downs but to overcome them with love, is what makes life beautiful. Life is short so why not cherish the moments of life with the one we love. There are couples, who have reinstated our faith in marriage and love. Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar are one such couple. (Also Read: Gabriella Demetriades's 'Family Portrait' With Arjun Rampal And Arik Rampal Is Filled With Love)
Coming from a family of poets and writers, Javed Akhtar has not only swooned us with his writing but also his wife, Shabana Azmi. Javed ji was already married to Honey Irani when he had fallen for Shabana ji and left his first wife for her. Shabana ji's parents were vehemently against their relationship because of Javed’s married status, but their love fought the odds and in 1984, they had tied the knot. Javed and Shabana’s close to four decades of married life is a testimony of not only their love and affection but humour too.
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In a recent Facebook Live chat, Shabana Azmi narrated a ‘delightful’ incident when her husband, Javed Akhtar was having soup but had spilled it more than drinking. Shabana ji reprimanded him, “Javed, iss tarah tum khaoge toh kitna tum giraoge?” Giving a hilarious twist to the song, Abhi Naa Jao Chhod Ke, Javed ji continued, “Jo iss tarah se khaoge, toh kitna tum giraoge. Joh soup iss pe gir gaya, toh jaante toh hoga kya? Yeh daag dhul na payega, Yeh daag dhul na payega... jo dhoyega, bataayega, ke saabun iss pe ghis diya, yeh daag par mitaa nahin.”
Poetry, Love and Food. ðŸ˜Â@AzmiShabana @Javedakhtarjadu pic.twitter.com/yjO3H3ohIS — Vikas Khanna (@TheVikasKhanna) April 13, 2020
In October 2019, Javed Akhtar had completed 55 years in the industry and his wife, Shabana Azmi had shared his story of not giving up. To mark his 55 years in the industry, Shabana ji had saluted him for how he had slept on the pavements and went without food for days, but let nothing come in the way of his dreams and his belief in himself. Shabana ji’s tweet can be read as "On this date 55 years ago a 19-year-old boy got down at Bombay Central Station with 27 rupees in his pocket and dreams in his eyes @javedakhtarjadu slept on pavements went without food 4 days but belief in himself. A story of not giving up to adversity and dignity. I salute him." (Also Read: Rohit Reddy Celebrates Wife, Anita Hassanandani's 39th Birthday Amidst Lockdown, Invites Her Friends)
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When Javed Akhtar had turned 75 in January 2020, the Akhtars had hosted a retro-themed birthday bash for him in Mumbai. While Javed ji and Shabana ji had twinned in polka-dotted red and white retro outfits, his son, Farhan Akhtar and his girlfriend, Shibani Dandekar had recreated Amitabh Bachchan and Zeenat Aman’s Khaike Paan Banaraswala look and had channelled their inner Don. In an interview with the Hindustan Times, Javed ji had stated, “As a matter of fact, 75 is a very old age in my mind. So, for me, to believe that I’m 75 is tough because I don’t feel that. My body tells me, ‘Listen buddy, you’re no longer young’, but otherwise, my involvement with life, my curiosity, interests, fantasies, aspirations and ambitions are intact. I’m totally involved with life, and don’t feel like a retired, tired person at all.’”
On December 10, 2020, Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi had completed 35 years of marital bliss and it was that day when the latter had revealed the secret of their happy married life. Shabana ji had posted a picture with Javed ji, and had written, "35 years together today and still smiling mashallah! The secret of success .. Javed says we are such good friends that even marriage couldn't destroy our friendship."
Even in a throwback interview with the DNA, Shabana Azmi had thrown some light on the secrets of her happy married life with Javed ji. She had stated, "That we hardly ever meet because both of us travel so much for work! There are times when we've said hi and bye at the airport! Jokes apart, we have the same family background and so much in common that ours should have been an arranged marriage. We share a common worldview and Javed is fond of saying, "Shabana and I are such good friends that even marriage couldn't ruin our friendship!". We respect each other and give a lot of space. Lately, however, I feel the need to chipko (stick) to him more and more and feel quite desolate when he is not around because he is my biggest source of strength." (Also Read: Is Dulquer Salmaan's Wife, Amal Sufia Insecure About The Female Attention Her Husband Gets?)
We wish them an eternity of happiness and love!
