Shabana Azmi shares old story of Javed Akhtar, says he only had heart full of dreams

MUMBAI: Veteran actress Shabana Azmi has recounted an old story of the acclaimed screenwriter, poet and director Javed Akhtar from the latter’s early days. Detailing her husband’s struggles, she said that the composer arrived in Mumbai with 27 paisa in his pocket and only had a heart full of dreams and determination, which eventually saw him through and made him successful.

Taking to X, the ‘Masoom’ actress detailed Javed Akhtar’s earliest days as a young man who arrived in Mumbai back in the 1960s and wrote, “On October 4, 1964, a young man arrived at Bombay Central Station with 27 naya paisa in his pocket and a heart full of dreams. And then Life happened.”

She added, “He slept at railway stations and footpaths, went without food for days, but his belief in himself was his constant companion. At one of his lowest ebbs he told himself, ‘Main yun hi marne ke liye nahin paida hua hoon (I wasn’t born just to die like this).’”

Concluding her story, she wrote, “His talent, his resilience, his determination, his spirit and the support of his friends made him the man he is today – Javed Akhtar.”

Shabana Azmi is the second wife of Javed Akhtar as he was previously married to screenwriter Honey Irani. After the two separated, Shabana and Javed Akhtar got married in 1984.

While Javed Akhtar is no doubt a celebrated screenwriter, Honey Irani is also no different as she, too, wrote screenplays of some hugely iconic films such as ‘Koi Mil Gaya’, ‘Krrish’, and ‘Lamhe’.

Javed Akhtar has two children from his marriage with Honey Irani, actor-director-writer Farhan Akhtar and director-producer Zoya Akhtar.

Javed Akhtar gained his popularity first by working with Salim Khan - Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's father. They wrote screenplays for some of Bollywood’s most iconic films such as ‘Deewar’ and ‘Sholay’.

As the concept of a screenwriter duo in Bollywood wasn’t something popular at the time, Salim-Javed became one of the most iconic screenwriters of the time. Akhtar continued writing on his own after his split from Salim and wrote screenplays for some other huge Bollywood films such as ‘Don: The Chase Begins Again’, ‘Main Azaad Hoon’ and ‘Lakshya’.

On her part, Shabana Azmi was most recently seen in the films ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ and ‘Ghoomer’.

In addition, she was also a part of the Hollywood sci-fi-action series ‘Halo’ based on the eponymous video game series.