Javed Akhtar's first wife Honey Irani breaks silence on how ‘man with massive ego' transformed completely: ‘He was patronizing'

Pink Villa

14-06-2025

Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar was earlier married to screenwriter and actress Honey Irani. The duo were blessed with two children Zoya and Farhan. However, things took a turn and their relationship eventually ended after which he married Shabana Azmi in 1984. Now, Honey has opened up about his behavior at the height of his success alongside Salim Khan. She revealed that he had a 'massive ego' and often came across as 'patronizing' with her and others. However, she acknowledged that he has changed completely now.
In a recent conversation with Filmfare, Honey Irani was asked if Javed Akhtar had any ego during that time. She spilled the beans and revealed, 'Any sort of? He had a massive ego.'
She further recalled how the veteran lyricist had an overwhelming ego and shared that he would often dismiss her opinions and make her feel unheard, believing she couldn't possibly understand. She shared, 'He used to say, 'You don't know what you're talking about,' or 'Tum nahi samjhogi (You won't understand)'.'
Honey added, 'He was patronizing with other people too. When someone would try to advise them saying, 'Sir, aapko aise baat nahi karni chahiye… ya aapko yeh kar lena chahiye…' (Sir, you shouldn't speak like this, or you should do this instead). They would respond like, 'Don't tell us what to do, we know'.' She claimed that he was very 'arrogant' and she witnessed it firsthand.
Honey Irani also revealed that if she ever confronted Javed Akhtar about his past behavior, she admitted that she did try to speak up, though whether he truly listened was another matter. She shared that his usual response was a dismissive agreement, ending the conversation without real change.
However, the veteran actress also added how he has transformed over the years and is a complete opposite person now. She said, 'Now he is just the opposite. Especially with the way he gets along with youngsters — it's amazing, really.'
Honey also recalled how, despite being impressed by many of Salim-Javed's scripts, a few didn't quite resonate with her. She gave examples of films like Immaan Dharam and Shaan that left her unconvinced. However, she highlighted the stature the writing duo held during their peak.
For the unversed, Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani parted ways in 1978 and officially divorced in 1985, bringing their 11-year marriage to an end.