Farhan Akhtar says he didn’t want his kids with ex-wife Adhuna to suffer as he did after dad Javed’s divorce: ‘I know what it felt like…’

Farhan Akhtar says he didn’t want his kids with ex-wife Adhuna to suffer as he did after dad Javed's divorce: 'I know what it felt like...'

As an ardent admirer of Farhan Akhtar, I find his candidness about his personal life deeply moving and commendable. His experiences with his parents’ divorce and subsequent separation from Adhuna Bhabani have undeniably shaped him as a person, making him more empathetic towards the emotional turmoil that children of divorced parents often face.


Farhan Akhtar is candidly discussing the impact that his parents’ divorce – which occurred in 1978 and was finalized in 1985 after their marriage in 1972 – had on him, as well as the emotional struggles he experienced during his own separation from Adhuna Bhabani. During a conversation with Faye D’Souza, he explained how growing up with divorced parents left an indelible mark on his subsequent marriage breakup.

Farhan Akhtar openly acknowledged the significant emotional impact his separation from Adhuna would have on their daughters, Shakya and Akira. He explained, “It wasn’t easy at all. One reason for that difficulty was the experience I had growing up with divorced parents. I remember how it felt, and a large part of me didn’t want to subject my own children to a similar situation.”

In simpler terms, Don-helmer clarifies that his divorce with Adhuna was not due to any actions or words of their daughters; rather, it’s an adult matter unrelated to them.

“Farhan stated, ‘This action involves two mature individuals, who mutually agreed on it as friends. This is the most we managed, and it’s a choice I must accept for the remainder of my life.'”

Akhtar went on to express that he’ll grapple with the question, “Were they worthy of this?” and “My past experience, being subjected to this as a child, greatly influences my current feelings towards it.”

After getting married in 2000, Farhan and Adhuna separated in 2016, and their divorce was completed the next year. Since 2022, the actor-filmmaker has been married to Shibani Dandekar. He continues to jointly raise his daughters with Adhuna.

In terms of his professional endeavors, Farhan Akhtar is preparing for his directorial comeback, with Don 3 featuring Ranveer Singh and Kiara Advani in principal roles. The film is tentatively set to hit theaters in 2025 at this point. Meanwhile, Jee Le Zara, starring Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, and Katrina Kaif, has been temporarily put on hold.

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2024-08-26 12:02