Arbaaz Khan Questions Shabana Azmi About Her Role In Salim-Javed Split: 'He Was A Much Happier Person'

Shabana Azmi discussed the conflict between her husband Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan in a recent appearance on Arbaaz Khan's talk show.

Shabana Azmi talks about Javed Akhtar's split with Salim Khan. (Image: Instagram/@arbaazkhanofficial & @azmishabana18)

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New Delhi: Writers Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan, who together revolutionised the Indian cinema business in the 1970s, parted way in 1982. The exact reasons for their split have remained a mystery. For the unversed, there were rumours that Shabana Azmi had pushed Javed Akhtar to end his ties to Salim Khan. Salim Khan’s son Arbaaz Khan recently asked Javed Akhtar’s wife and actress Shabana Azmi about her role in this infamous split. 

While appearing on Arbaaz Khan's talk show, ‘The Invincibles Series’, Shabana Azmi addressed rumours of her involvement in Salim-Javed’s split. Arbaaz asked,  “Salim-Javed were at the peak of their careers, and around the same time, you entered Javed saab’s life. And shortly afterwards, at the peak of their careers, they split. A lot of people tried to find answers as to why they would’ve split. Some went so far as to suggest that because Javed saab was a writer and poet, Shabana encouraged him to pursue a solo career. You might have heard these rumours too; I heard them as a child. How did you react to that?”

Shabana Azmi talks about Salim-Javed’s split

Shabana answered, “Arbaaz, will you believe it, that till today I don’t know why Salim-Javed has split. Since I thought it was a personal decision, I shouldn’t get involved in it. But I think what was happening is that he was going through some change. He had started writing poetry, he was moving into another kind of world. I don’t know what happened and why they ever split, but I do know that he was a much happier person having taken this huge risk. There is no merit or ‘dismerit’ meri taraf se.”

Shabana Azmi also discussed Javed Akhtar's battle with alcoholism. During the show, she also shared her personal connection with his children, Farhan and Zoya, as well as his ex-wife Honey Irani.