Javed Akhtar blames alcoholism for divorce with Honey Irani: ‘I used to drink almost a bottle every night’ 

Farhan Akhtar, Javed Akhtar, Honey Irani Pic/Instagram

Veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar recently opened up about his first marriage and how alcoholism led to his divorce. Javed got married to veteran screenwriter Honey Irani in 1972. He has two children with Irani -- filmmaker and actor Farhan Akhtar, and director-producer Zoya Akhtar. After the two separated, Javed tied the knot with veteran actress Shabana Azmi in 1984.

In an interview on Mojo Story, Javed batted for the Uniform Civil Code and said that as per Muslim law, he was only responsible for paying alimony to Irani for four months only, but he went against it because she was his responsibility.

He said, "I am living in uniform civil code. I was married to a lady, after 11 years of marriage, we got divorced. According to Muslim personal law, I was only responsible to give her alimony for four months but I didn't think that. She was my responsibility. It is also her choice whether she wants my support or not, but whenever she wanted and whenever she will, or she may not as she is very self-respecting person, but I'm available for help. I walked out of the house with some books and some clothes. That's all. And now we are best of friends because of this relationship and this understanding."

Javed also blamed alcoholism for his divorce and shared, "I started drinking at the age of 20-21 and left when I was 42 years old. I could afford a bottle and used to drink almost a bottle every night. It's very common for Urdu poetics to become big drunkards because they believe that if they are poets and artists, they should be carefree and you should drink. I think I had those wrong values."

On the work front, Javed Akhtar has penned a string of classics in collaboration with screenwriter Salim Khan. Popularly known as Salim-Javed, the duo scripted many commercially and critically accepted films like 'Yaadon Ki Baaraat', 'Zanjeer', 'Deewaar', 'Trishul', 'Kaala Patthar', 'Dostana', 'Seeta Aur Geeta', 'Sholay', 'Mr India', 'Don', and many more.

A documentary titled 'Angry Young Men', was announced earlier, based on the lives of screenwriters Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. Salman Khan's production banner SKF (Salman Khan Films) is teaming up with Farhan Akhtar's Excel Entertainment and Zoya Akhtar's Tiger Baby Films for the documentary.

(With inputs from ANI)