Shabana Azmi credits Javed Akhtar's first wife Honey Irani for her good relationship with Farhan & Zoya Akhtar

Shabana Azmi, Farhan, Zoya, Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani

Shabana Azmi was the recent guest on Arbaaz Khan's podcast. The actress opened up about her marriage with Javed Akhtar and the actor's first marriage. Shabana also talked about accepting her step-children Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar. Shabana Azmi told Arbaaz Khan on his show, The Invincibles, "Isme hum teeno ko credit jaata hai. Humne ye tay kiya ki isme kadwahat nahi honi chahiye (I give credit to all three of us - Javed, Honey and Shabana). Of course initially Honey felt rejected and bitter but Javed kept at it. And today what has come from it is something I am really proud of. Magar log jo hai na jab iss tarah ka separation hota hai toh duniyabhar ki baatein karte hai aur aap yeh chahte hai ki apne aap ko save karein. (When such a separation happens, the society talks a lot about it and you try to protect yourself from such noises),"

She further continued and said, "Lekin uss waqt maine tay kiya ki mai kuch nahi bolungi aur fir yeh apne aap khatam hojayega. Yeh decision nahi aata agar javed ne mujhe support nahi kiya hota toh. (But at that time I had decided to not speak about it and eventually, it all stopped. I could take such a step as Javed supported me)."

Further while talking about Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, Shabana shared, "Then after that because these kids were very young then they started growing and becoming friends with me. And today I think they feel more comfortable with me than their father. Especially when they are exasperated with him, they come and talk to me."

In the long conversation, Shabana also opened up about how Honey never restricted her kids from bonding with Azmi. She shared, "I feel very happy because I have a very beautiful relationship with them and I give credit to Honey. They were young kids at that time and it was the easiest thing for Honey to take them away. She never did that and encouraged them to come with us. Aur maine kya kiya ki maine shuru mein unko overwhelm karne ki koshish nahi ki. Realize hua tha ki isme waqt lagega and that I must give them that time. (What I did was initially I didn't overwhelm them. I realized things will take time and gave them that space)"

Shabana Azmi tied the knot with Javed Akhtar in December 1984. Meanwhile, Javed married Honey in 1972. They reportedly parted ways in the same year he married Shabana.