Javed Akhtar Blames Alcohol Addiction For His Failed Marriage With Honey Irani: ‘You Start Fighting’

Legendary screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar recently opened up about his alcohol addiction. He shared that his struggle with alcohol in his younger days was one of the reasons behind his divorce from his first wife, Honey Irani. Akhtar got married to Honey Irani in 1972. Together, they had two children Zoya and Farhan Akhtar before parting ways with her in 1985.

During a recent conversation with Sapan Verma on his YouTube show Chill Sesh, the veteran screenwriter was asked if his actions changed him in the course of his life. Akhtar promptly admitted wasting many precious years drinking and said, “I have wasted a lot of time drinking. I was a drunkard. I left drinking it on July 31, 1991. I feel I have wasted a grand total of at least ten years just drinking. I could have used that time for a much positive and constructive purpose. I will advise young people, if you drink, stop it because when I look at my life, I have not made any major mistake in my life without drinking.”

The 79-year-old further noted that his first marriage could have been saved had his alcohol addiction not come in the way. “I regret the failure of my first marriage. It could have been saved. But it was my irresponsible attitude, my drinking… When you are drunk, you take impulsive decisions, you start fighting about certain things which are not such big issues. Ye sab galtiyaan toh hui hai mujhse (these were the mistakes I made),” he added.

In the third episode of the recently released docu-series “Angry Young Men,” the veteran lyricist discussed his failed marriage to Honey Irani and expressed his guilt. He said, “Honey is the only person in the world toward whom I feel guilty. About 60 to 70 per cent of the responsibility for the failure of that marriage lies on my shoulders. If I had the understanding that I have today, perhaps things would not have gone wrong. It’s very difficult to accept, but that’s how it is.”

After his divorce from Honey Irani, Akhtar married the actress Shabana Azmi in 1984.

During a chat with Arbaaz Khan for The Invincibles, she talked about her husband’s alcohol addiction and reminisced about the day when he decided to give up on alcohol. Shabana recalled that they were in London, when Akhtar came in, reeking of alcohol. Azmi revealed that she realised it was going to be “one of those trips.” However, to her surprise, Akhtar told her, “I am not going to drink anymore,” after having breakfast.