Shabana Azmi was in London far away from her husband Javed Akhtar as he celebrated his birthday on January 17.
“Normally I would arrange a party , call all our close friends over for lunch . But this time I’m in London shooting. In any case with the pandemic there was nothing to celebrate,” says Shabana.
But she promises “something special” for her husband when she returns. “Together with my parents Javed is the biggest influence on my life and thoughts. I married him because he reminded me of my father.”
Has he ever written poems for her? It is said he has written two intensely romantic songs for Shabana: Kathai aankhon wali in the film Duplicate and Ek ladki ko dekha in 1942: A Love Story.
“Lies, damned lies! Not one line for me ever,” Shabana chuckles. But Shabana inspires Javed in other ways.
She recounts, “Once during dinner he was spilling soup on his kurta. When I admonished him he came up with these lines instantly to the tune of Abhi na jao chhod kar from the film Humdono
“Jo is tarha se khaoge
Toh kitna tum giraoge
Safed yeh Qameez hai
Kahan tumhe tameez hai
Jo soup ispe gir gaya
Toh jaante ho hoga kya
Yeh daag dhul na payega
Jo dhoyega batayega
Ki saabun ispe ghis diya
Yeh Daag par mita nahi
Jo tum kharaab na karo
Woh kapda hi bana nahi.”
Only Javed Akhtar can be playful and poetic at the same time.