Shabana Azmi says her marriage with Javed Akhtar is not 'hunky dory'. Batwara 1947 actress reveals 3 qualities that kept their 40-year bond strong despite 'huge fights'

Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar got married on December 9, 1984, and have now spent more than four decades together. The couple has often been open about their views, both individually and as partners. Their candid conversations about relationships and life frequently attract attention. Recently, Shabana opened up about her marriage to Javed, admitting that their relationship has had its difficult moments but also explaining what has helped them stay together for over 40 years.

Shabana Azmi on her marriage to Javed Akhtar

In an interview with Zoom, Shabana Azmi spoke candidly about her relationship with Javed Akhtar. While many celebrity marriages are often presented as perfect, the veteran actress made it clear that theirs has also seen disagreements.

Shabana said their marriage is not always “hunky dory” and acknowledged that she and Javed have had some major fights. However, she believes disagreements have not weakened their relationship because they share a strong friendship.


According to Shabana, "Many people thought that ours should have been an arranged marriage. There are huge fights between Javed and me. It's not like it's Hunky Dory. But our friendship is so strong, and our worldview is the same. Our ideologies are the same. That's what I feel is important.”

3 qualities Shabana says keep their marriage strong

Shabana's comments offer a clear picture of the qualities she considers important in a long-term relationship.

1. Strong friendship:

For Shabana, marriage is not only about romance. She believes the friendship she shares with Javed has helped them navigate disagreements and difficult periods. Even when they have major arguments, that underlying friendship continues to hold the relationship together.

2. A shared worldview:

The actress also considers having a similar outlook on life important. She and Javed may disagree on certain matters, but their broader worldview gives them common ground.

3. Similar ideologies and values:

Shabana also pointed to their shared ideologies as another reason for their lasting bond. Having similar fundamental beliefs, according to her, helps a couple understand each other's choices and perspectives.

The actress also spoke about what initially attracted her to Javed. She described his wit and intelligence as qualities that stood out to her. Shabana recalled that Javed reminded her of her father in several ways, and getting to know him gave her a sense of reconnecting with qualities she had admired in her father.

Their relationship, however, did not begin without controversy.

Shabana Azmi on Honey Irani and their family bond

Shabana and Javed's marriage attracted criticism because Javed was previously married to screenwriter Honey Irani. The couple eventually separated, but their family continued to remain connected through their children, filmmaker Zoya Akhtar and actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar.

Looking back, Shabana said the situation was not easy. She revealed that she and Javed chose to remain quiet at the time rather than publicly respond to the criticism surrounding their relationship.

Over the years, however, Shabana's relationship with Honey developed into one of mutual respect. She described Honey as an important part of the family and said their equation had become healthy.

For Shabana, this relationship is an example of how people can move beyond personal pain and build a bond based on understanding. She credited Honey with handling a complicated situation with considerable maturity.

Shabana also spoke highly of the way Honey raised her children with Javed. She said, "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. She is a very sensible person. Because of her generosity and intelligence, it was very easy for me to do it. She is somebody I have deep respect for.

For the unversed, Javed and Honey parted ways in 1985 and remain connected through Zoya and Farhan. Shabana said she has deep respect for Honey and considers her a member of the family.

After more than 40 years of marriage, Shabana's account of her relationship with Javed is far removed from the idea of a perfect, conflict-free partnership. Meanwhile, on the work front, she was recently seen in Batwara 1947 alongside Sunny Deol. The movie didn't perform well at the box office.