Javed Akhtar is celebrating his 81st birthday, and his wife Shabana Azmi marked the occasion with a heartfelt post looking back on her journey. In a birthday note shared on Instagram, the veteran actor recalled the difficult early years of Javed Akhtar’s life in Mumbai. He revealed how the legendary screenwriter and lyricist arrived in the city with just 27 paise, slept on pavements and once went three days without food.

Sharing a picture of young Javed on Instagram, Shabana wrote, “October 4, 1964. A young man arrived at Bombay Central Station with 27 paise in his pocket but big dreams in his eyes.”

The actor recalled that Javed Akhtar faced many hardships during his early years in Mumbai. “Life dealt him many hard knocks. He slept on footpaths, at railway stations and in the premises of several studios. There came a day when he had nothing to eat for 3 days and had only clothes, which were pieces of his body.”

Shabana Azmi also shared the words Javed said to himself during a time when he was close to giving up. “He said to himself, ‘I am not born to die for this. Ye din will change,’ as they did.”

The actor then drew a contrast between October 4, 1964, when a 19-year-old Javed arrived in Mumbai with almost nothing, and October 4, 2026, when he is remembered for giving India some of its most memorable films and songs. “This is Javed Akhtar’s story. Some journeys start from almost anything. Except a dream. If he can do it, so can you. Never give up,” he concluded.

Before marrying Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar was married to screenwriter Honey Irani. The couple married in 1972 and welcomed two children, filmmaker Zoya Akhtar and actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar.

Javed and Honey separated in 1978, but their divorce was officially finalized in 1985. He married Shabana Azmi in 1984.

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