When Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar were separated for months
What's the story
In a recent interview with Radio Nasha, veteran actor Shabana Azmi revealed that she and her husband, renowned writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar, had separated for a while in their marriage.
"We didn't speak for three months," she revealed. However, despite the temporary estrangement, the couple has been married for over four decades.
Maternal advice
Azmi's mother warned her against marrying poets
Azmi also revealed that her mother had warned her against marrying poets. She quoted her mother saying, "They will trap you with beautiful words."
However, despite the warning, Azmi said she was in awe of Akhtar's humility and intellect. "I love how he speaks with humility to people younger than him. His wit and intellect are, of course, unmatched," she added.
Common roots
Azmi and Akhtar's shared background contributed to their bond
Azmi credited the long-lasting nature of their marriage to their similar backgrounds and perspectives.
"He (Akhtar) says the success of our marriage is that we don't meet too often, we are both busy running in different directions," she told ETimes.
"We come from similar backgrounds - our fathers were poets from UP and communists, we have a common view on things - so people say considering these factors we should have had an arranged marriage."
Past hurdles
About challenges faced due to Akhtar's previous marriage
However, the couple's journey hasn't been smooth sailing. Akhtar was earlier married to actor Honey Irani and the two had two children, Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, together.
Speaking to Curly Tales, Azmi had called this phase "incredibly tough." She said that such things are often simplified by people, but in reality, they are emotionally draining and extremely painful.