Birthday Special: Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi's love story in photos

Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar turned 79 today and on this day, here's a sneak peek into his love life

Javed Akhtar was married to screenwriter Honey Irani and had two kids, now filmmaker and actor Farhan Akhtar, and director-producer Zoya Akhtar, when he fell in love with Shabana Azmi on a film set

Javed and Honey started living separately and divorced six years after that.

Shabana and Akhtar tied the knot in a simple Muslim wedding soon after he got the divorce

“Much before I told it to myself, I was really fascinated by her. I don’t know why. When I didn’t know her much, then too she used to attract me. There was something about her that was always fascinating. It’s very difficult for me to decide what was the precise moment when I fell in love with her,” said Javed Sahab

“Quite soon after I got to know him (I was in love with him). Firstly, he used to make me laugh a lot, I used to keep laughing all the time. I enjoyed his company. I find him very stimulating, I find him to be one of the most intelligent men I have met, so I enjoyed his company very much and that, I think, led to love,” said Shabana Azmi

Since Shabana Azmi could not conceive due to medical issues, Honey ji allowed the children to visit their father and spend amicable time with their stepmother without harbouring any feelings of hatred or vengeance

Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar have been happily married for almost 40 years now...