Inspiring! Shabana Azmi opens up about Javed Akhtar's humble beginnings in Mumbai; Says ‘Arrived with 27 naya paisa in his pocket…’

MUMBAI: Veteran actress Shabana Azmi recalled a classic tale from the early days of renowned screenwriter, lyricist, and director Javed Akhtar. She described her husband's hardships, claiming that the composer had only 27 paisa in his pocket when he first came in Mumbai and that his only resources were his dreams and his determination, which eventually helped him succeed.

The 'Masoom' actress wrote on X about Javed Akhtar's early years as a young guy who first arrived in Mumbai in the 1960s, saying, “On October 4, 1964, a young man arrived at Bombay Central Station with 27 naya paisa in his pocket and a heart full of dreams. And then Life happened.”

(Also read: OMG! Shabana Azmi recalls a humiliating incident she faced on the sets of Parvarish, reveals about wanting to quit working in the industry )

She further added, “He slept at railway stations and footpaths, went without food for days, but his belief in himself was his constant companion. At one of his lowest ebbs he told himself, ‘Main yun hi marne ke liye nahin paida hua hoon (I wasn’t born just to die like this).’”

She wrote, “His talent, his resilience, his determination, his spirit and the support of his friends made him the man he is today – Javed Akhtar.”

Javed Akhtar has been married twice, the first time to scriptwriter Honey Irani, and the second time to Shabana Azmi. Shabana and Javed Akhtar wed in 1984.

While Javed Akhtar is unquestionably a well-known screenwriter, Honey Irani is also in the same league because she also authored the screenplays for some incredibly memorable movies like ‘Koi Mil Gaya,’ ‘Krrish,’ and ‘Lamhe.’

Farhan Akhtar, an actor, director, and writer, and Zoya Akhtar, a director and producer, are Javed Akhtar's two children from his marriage to Honey Irani.

Javed Akhtar became initially well-known after working with Salim Khan, the father of Bollywood star Salman Khan. They wrote the scripts for some of the most well-known Bollywood movies, including ‘Deewar’ and ‘Sholay.’

Salim-Javed became one of the most recognizable screenplay teams of the era because the idea of a screenwriter team in Bollywood wasn't widespread at the time. After splitting with Salim, Akhtar continued writing on his own and wrote the scripts for several additional major Bollywood movies, including ‘Don: The Chase Begins Again,’ ‘Main Azaad Hoon,’ and ‘Lakshya.’

Shabana Azmi most recently appeared in the movies ‘Ghoomer’ and ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.’ She also appeared in the Hollywood sci-fi action series ‘Halo,’ which was based on the same-named video game franchise.

(Also read: SAD! When Shabana Azmi tried to end her life)

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Credits - Koimoi