Javed Akhtar has been open about his struggle with alcoholism and how it has negatively impacted his life. In a recent interview, the seasoned screenwriter stated that if he could go back in time, he would advise his younger self to never drink because he squandered a decade of his life fighting the ailment.
Javed Akhtar opens up about his struggle with alcoholism; says, “I wasted at least a decade of my life”
Javed Akhtar recently featured on the Be A Man, Yaar podcast and was asked if he began drinking to conceal his emotions. He said, “Maybe there were bottled-up emotions, the anger, the bitterness. That is why after drinking I would become quite offensive, which I’m otherwise not, nor ever was. This would never happen in my sober moments. But peeke koi ek dusra devil nikal aata tha.”
He futher said, “The few good things I have done in life included quitting alcohol. July 31, 1991, was the last time I drank. I never took a sip of champagne after that. Not even during celebratory cheers,” he said. When asked what he would tell his younger self, Javed Akhtar replied, “I would tell him that the 20-25 years he drank alcohol, he shouldn’t do that.”
He added, “Bohot time waste hua usmey. I think I wasted at least a decade of my life where I could do much more, but because of all this, I wasted it. I could have done so much, learn a musical instrument, could learn another language like French or Persian. I had the time and the facility, but I wasted my time, which is not good. I had to learn a lot more.”
Shabana Azmi recently told Arbaaz Khan about Javed Akhtar’s decision to stop drinking. She stated, “He knew that if I go on like this, I won’t live for long and I won’t be able to do my work creatively… We were in a flat in London. He was stinking of alcohol and I said ‘Oh my god, this is going to be one of those trips. Very quietly he told me ‘Make me some breakfast’. He had breakfast and after that, he told me, ‘I am not going to drink anymore’.”
She continued, “I didn’t say anything. I just said ‘Means?’ He said ‘I am not going to drink anymore’. He had never said this before and from that day, he has not touched (alcohol).” Shabana added, “It is impossible for me to have the kind of willpower he has,” calling his willpower “incredible.”
Also Read : When Shabana Azmi spoke about not having kids with husband Javed Akhtar: “Not being able to have children, in a sense, made…”
BOLLYWOOD NEWS – LIVE UPDATES
Catch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2024 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.
Source Agencies
