Cinema VinesVeteran actress Shabana Azmi, who has been in the public eye for more than five decades, opened up in a recent interview with Zoom about the long‑standing marriage that has spanned more than forty years with celebrated writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar. She spoke candidly about the qualities that first attracted her to the poet‑writer and how shared values have helped sustain their partnership over the years.
Azmi said she was drawn to Javed’s wit and intelligence, calling him “one of the brightest minds she had ever met.” She added that the two shared a similar family background, with parents who were progressive writers involved in the communist party and lovers of Urdu poetry. The actress recalled how discovering Javed felt like rediscovering her own father, and how their shared worldview and ideology have become a cornerstone of their relationship. “He is also the person who can be comfortable with any company. He has a very good ability to communicate with people. He is a very fair person, and I respect that a lot in him,” she said.
Despite the fact that Javed had been married to screenwriter Honey Irani before Azmi, the couple faced criticism when they wed in 1984 after his divorce. Azmi praised Irani for handling the situation with maturity, noting that the two have maintained a respectful and healthy relationship. She described Irani as “an example of how people can get above their personal hurt,” adding that Irani never allowed the children to harbor resentment toward her. “She never filled the children’s ears with hatred against me. She never badmouths her husband in front of their children. She didn’t try to divide the children,” Azmi said. She further said that Irani’s generosity and intelligence made it easy for her to accept her as a family member.
Azmi also reflected on the “huge fights” she has had with Javed, noting that their marriage is not a picture of constant harmony. She emphasized that their friendship and shared ideology keep them united, and that their relationship is built on mutual respect rather than a fairy‑tale romance. The couple’s children, filmmaker Zoya Akhtar and actor‑filmmaker Farhan Akhtar, are the offspring of Javed’s first marriage to Irani. Azmi’s candid comments highlight how love, shared values, and respect can sustain a partnership that has endured the test of time and public scrutiny.
