Shabana Azmi says it was ‘difficult’ being with Javed Akhtar during his alcoholism: ‘He was stinking of liquor, declared he’ll stop’

Shabana said that she didn’t ask him any questions about his decision. “I didn’t say anything. I just said ‘Means?’ He said ‘I am not going to drink anymore’. He had never said this before and from that day, he has not touched (alcohol),” she shared proudly. Shabana called his willpower “incredible” and said, “It is impossible for me to have the kind of willpower he has.”

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At ABP Ideas of India 2023 Summit, Javed opened up about his relationship with Shabana was affected because of his drinking. “Obviously, she was not in love with me because I was drinking. She was in love with in spite of my drinking.” He added that Shabana was “very happy” when he stopped drinking. “I released yeh bevakoofi hai jo main kar raha hun. Isme koi glamour nahi hai, koi dignity nahi hai, koi charm nahi hai. (I realised what I was doing was stupid. There is no glamour, dignity or charm in this),” he said. Javed revealed that he consumed a big bottle of rum on July 31, 1991 and from August 1, he gave up drinking.

Javed had first opened up about his alcoholism during a 2012 episode of Satymeva 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.