Veteran actor Shabana Azmi recently offered a delightful glimpse into the personal lives of some of Indian cinema’s most celebrated names, as she spoke candidly about her husband, lyricist-writer Javed Akhtar, and close friend Naseeruddin Shah. In a light-hearted conversation with ETimes, Shabana’s anecdotes about food preferences, especially sweets, have left many smiling and offered a rare peek into the off-screen personalities of these cultural icons.When asked what she would pack if she ever had to prepare a tiffin for Javed Akhtar, Shabana’s answer was both affectionate and revealing. She said the staple dish would be Aloo Gosht Ka Salan, a classic preparation that happens to be Javed Akhtar’s favourite. However, she shared a twist, she said, “If I really had to pack a tiffin for him it would be a three-tiered tiffin and all of them would contain different kinds of sweets,” . Shabana explained that Javed Akhtar’s fondness for sweets knows no bounds, to the extent that he can wake up and happily eat desserts even for breakfast.
Delving deeper into his preferences, Shabana revealed that Gulab Jamun tops the list of Javed Akhtar’s favorite sweets. Close behind is Mishti Doi while Milk Cake holds the third spot. The conversation took an even more entertaining turn when Shabana shared an anecdote involving Javed Akhtar and her longtime friend, actor Naseeruddin Shah. Recalling a moment that left her both astonished and amused, she said the two men share an almost unmatched enthusiasm for indulgent desserts.“Javed Akhtar and Naseeruddin Shah are capable of eating Khubani Ka Meetha (a very sweet Hyderabadi apricot dessert) with vanilla ice cream and Gulab Jamun!” she said. Emphasizing just how extraordinary this combination is, Shabana added that she has never seen anyone else in her life consume such an intensely sweet pairing.Shabana Azmi was last seen in Farhan and Shibani Akhtar’s Dabba Cartel and would soon be seen in Sunny Deol, Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Santoshi’s Lahore 1947.
