New Delhi: Celebrated screenwriter Javed Akhtar opened up about feeling 'guilty' towards his former wife-actor screenwriter Honey Irani. Taking '60-70%' of the responsibility for the failure of his marriage, in the latest Prime Video docu-series 'Angry Young Men', the veteran opened up about his first marriage which fell apart the same time he split with his screenwriting partner, Salim Khan.
Javed and Honey married in 1972, and had two children, Farha Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar. The couple got divorced in 1985.
“Honey is one person in the world, towards whom I feel guilty. And she is the only person. Sixty-seventy percent responsibility lies on my shoulders, for the failure of that marriage. If I had as much understanding as I have today, perhaps things would not have gone wrong. It is very difficult to accept, but that’s how it is,” Javed is seen confessing on the show’s finale.
Talking about the aftermath of the separation, Farhan AKhtar also shared that he felt 'betrayed' by his father. "There was a phase when I was angry with him, I felt betrayed by him. There were all those very normal emotions that I did go through as a child growing up.”
Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar added that the duo lived with Honey, so they ended up spending more time with her. "But it took time to go back to normal with my dad. Shabana played a big part in creating that normalcy.”
Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi married in 1984 and have been married since.
'Angry Young Men' also starred Honey Irani and Shabana Azmi, both reflecting on the marriage that fell apart and the new equation that began. Shabana spoke about a 'triangular relationship' and it being very personal and 'very painful and especially when there are children involved'.
Speaking about people passing judgments about her being a 'home breaker', Shabana opened up, "People say, ‘She is a home-breaker, she is a home-destroyer.’ Obviously, I wanted to explain my point of view but then I figured, if I did that, I would end up hurting far too many people. So, wisdom lay in keeping quiet and not explaining myself and getting the brickbats, which obviously I would get.”
Shabana also credited Honey for not 'filling the children' with 'tales' against her. She added, "She gave them the security that you do not have to consider me as an evil stepmother. She and I have a very warm, nice relationship. And I am very grateful, because we all were very graceful. All three of us very graceful but she above all. She had the most to give and she gave that.”
Talking about the failed marriage and their equation now, Honey Irani said, "I guess what had to happen happened. But we are still very good friends. I think we are the best friends now. I know he is there for me whenever I need him, and he knows that I am there in whatever he does. No matter how many accidents he has,” laughingly.
“The kids are there, and they are perfect with them, even Shabana has been very nice,” Honey Irani added.