Zeenat Aman wanted to end marriage after 1 year as she found out husband Mazhar Khan was cheating on her: ‘I stayed for 12 years as…’

Zeenat wanted to end the marriage after the birth of her first son, but stayed for the sake of her newborn. “As soon as my son was born, I wanted out and we discussed it but I thought my child deserved a chance and I stayed. But I didn’t just stay, I did everything possible to make it work. I thought about getting into the work force when my younger son was 5 years old but right before that Mazhar fell grievously ill. I spent 5 years battling for his health and his life and they were very difficult years,” she said.

Zeenat spoke of her efforts to take on her husband’s well-being as a personal challenge. She said, “I tried to everything under the sun. We were in and out of every hospital in Mumbai. I learned how to give injections, to do dressing, was living with a bag outside his body for 18 months, I learned how to change that bag. I did everything there was to do. I flew overseas and found the best doctor. When that thing was over and the problem was sorted, it had taken a toll on me. I was very close to a nervous breakdown.”

Admitting how she battled it all alone, Zeenat said, “You give and give until you completely run out and there is nothing to give. And at the end of it you want someone to ask, ‘How are you today?’ But I never had that for 12 years.”

Zeenat further revealed that, though Mazhar’s health issue was resolved, he became addicted to prescription drugs, which severely affected his kidneys. This addiction ultimately drove her to leave the marriage for the sake of her own well-being. “He had stopped helping himself was inflicting further damage on himself and I couldn’t stay there and watch him do that. He was taking seven painkillers a day. I and the children would request him. At the end, his kidneys did pack up and this was after I had opted out. When I left, I still cared,” she said. She added, “I have no guilt because I am sure 99 percent women wouldn’t have lasted as long and as honestly as I did.”