Javed Akhtar opens up about his alcoholism, how he quit drinking: ‘Willpower is not a thing, it is the intensity of desire’

Javed Akhtar opened up about how he decided to give up drinking and never looked back.

Javed Akhtar talked about his struggles with alcohol in a recent interview. (Photo: Express Archives)

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Javed Akhtar has lived most of his life in the spotlight, and at the age of 78, the writer recently reflected on how he gave up drinking. In a chat with Arbaaz Khan on Bollywood Bubble, the writer was asked about his excessive drinking in the past, and he shared that he believed he would die an untimely death if he couldn’t curb his alcoholism.

Javed acknowledged that he drank for pleasure, and not because he was trying to drown his sorrows. “Main isliye peeta tha ki main enjoy karta tha (I drank because I enjoyed it), it was a pleasure. I was not drowning any sorrow in it. Magar mujhe ek baat samajh mein aayi, common sense kehta hai ki 52-53 tak mujhe marr jana chahiye, if this is how I drink. Isse upar umar meri jani nahi chahiye with this kind of drinking (But I understood one thing, common sense dictates that with this kind of drinking I would die by 52-53.)”

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Javed revealed that he consumed a big bottle of rum on July 31, 1991 and from August 1, he gave up alcohol completely. He added that he hasn’t even had a sip of champagne in all these years. When Arbaaz applauded his willpower, Javed said, “Arre willpower koi cheez hi nahi hai (Willpower is nothing). It is the intensity of desire.” Javed said that his biggest addiction is living. “Isse strong addiction koi nahi (There is no bigger addiction that this).”

Javed Akhtar had previously opened up about his struggle with alcoholism on a 2012 episode of Aamir Khan’s Satyameva Jayate. “I started drinking at a very young age of 19. When I came to Bombay (now Mumbai) after completing my graduation I started drinking with friends and later it became a habit. Earlier I didn’t have enough money, but then after my success, money flow was also taken care of. Then came a time when I would drink one bottle a day,” he had said.

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