Javed Akhtar is celebrating his 81st birthday, and his wife, Shabana Azmi, marked the occasion with a heartfelt post looking back at his journey. In a birthday note shared on Instagram, the veteran actor recalled the difficult early years of Javed Akhtar’s life in Mumbai. She revealed how the legendary screenwriter and lyricist arrived in the city with just 27 paise, slept on footpaths and once went three days without food.
Sharing a picture of a young Javed on Instagram, Shabana wrote, “4th Oct 1964. A young lad arrived at Bombay Central Station with 27 naye paise in his pocket but with big dreams in his eyes.”
The actor recalled that Javed Akhtar faced numerous hardships during his early years in Mumbai. “Life gave him several hard knocks. He slept on the footpaths, at the railway stations and in the compound of many a studio. A day came when he had nothing to eat for 3 days and the only clothes he had were the shreds on his body,” she added.
Shabana Azmi also shared the words Javed told himself during a time when he was close to giving up. “He said to himself, ‘Main yunhi marne ke liye nahin paida nahin hua tha. Yeh din badlenge,’ as they did.”
The actor then drew a contrast between October 4, 1964, when a 19-year-old Javed arrived in Mumbai with almost nothing, and October 4, 2026, when he is remembered for giving India some of its most memorable movies and songs. “This is the story of Javed Akhtar. Some journeys begin with almost nothing. Except a dream. If he can do it so can you. Never give up,” she concluded.
Before his marriage to Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar was married to screenwriter Honey Irani. The couple got married in 1972 and went on to welcome two children, filmmaker Zoya Akhtar and actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar.
Javed and Honey parted ways in 1978, but their divorce was officially finalised in 1985. He married Shabana Azmi in 1984.
Also Read | Shabana Azmi Reveals Having “Huge Fights” With Javed Akhtar, Says Marriage Is Not “Hunky Dory”
