Veteran writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar recently shared his thoughts on marriage and his relationship with actress Shabana Azmi. He shared that the foundation of any relationship is mutual respect. He went on to suggest that marriage, as a concept, has become so outdated that it has accumulated "muck" over the years. He further described his bond with Shabana as one based on friendship. "Actually, we are hardly married. We are friends. My only qualification for a good marriage is this: are you friends or are you not? Shaadi-waadi toh bekaar kaam hai (The concept of marriage is nonsense). It's a centuries-old tradition, it's a stone that has been rolled down mountains for centuries. And as it was coming down the hill, it has collected a lot of moss, a lot of garbage and muck..." Javed Akhtar told Mojo Story.
According to the veteran writer, terms like "wife" and "husband" have evolved to carry too many connotations and baggage over time. He said that the core of a successful relationship lies not in labels, but in mutual respect and understanding. He added, "The words 'wife' and 'husband' have taken on so many different meanings. Just forget about it. Two people, irrespective of their gender, how can they live happily together? It needs mutual respect, it needs mutual consideration, it needs giving space to each other."
Javed Akhtar concluded, "We have to understand that the other person is a human being, with their own ambitions and dreams. They have just as much of a right over their ambitions as I have over mine. That's all. It isn't rocket science. It's actually quite simple. You can only live happily together if both of you are happy. One thing is for certain, love without respect is a fraud. Let me tell you, an independent woman, with her own ambitions, her own business, her own opinion, is not a very convenient person. Obviously, a person who is living with you and is not your slave is bound to be inconvenient. But you have to understand that they aren't a slave."
Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi married in 1984.