Javed Akhtar says he is ‘guilty’ for failure of first marriage with Honey Irani: ‘It’s very difficult to accept’

Javed Akhtar opened up about his first marriage to Honey Irani in the new Prime Video docuseries Angry Young Men.

Legendary screenwriters Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar are the focus of the new docuseries Angry Young Men, which is now streaming on Prime Video. In the three part docuseries, both of the writers spoke at length about their career, family, and children. Javed also talked about his first marriage to Honey Irani, and admitted that he is ‘guilty’ that the relationship ended as he is the one to blame. (Also read: Zoya Akhtar shares how morning walks with Salim Khan gave birth to docuseries Angry Young Men)

Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, and Honey Irani pose together.

What Javed said

In the third episode of the docuseries, when Javed Akhtar was asked about the failure of his first marriage, he said: “Honey is one person in the world towards whom I feel guilty. And she’s the only person. About 60 to 70 person responsibility lies on my shoulder for the failure of that marriage. If I had as much understanding as I have today, perhaps, things would not have gone wrong. It’s very difficult to accept. But that’s how it is.”

‘I wanted to explain my point of view…’

Meanwhile, Javed's second wife, actor Shabana Azmi went on to reflect, “In any relationship, which is a triangular relationship, it is very personal and very painful, especially when children are involved. It becomes more hurtful because people are so quick to pass judgement and say ‘she’s a home-breaker’, ‘she’s a home-destroyer’ and things like that. 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. And I give huge credit to Honey because she could have easily filled the children with tales against me. She just didn’t do that. She gave them the security that you do not have to consider her an evil stepmother. She and I have a very warm and really nice relationship."

Javed Akhtar was married to former child artiste and writer Honey Irani, with whom he has two children, Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar. Their relationship fell apart around 1980. Javed fell in love with Shabana Azmi and they got married in 1984.