Shabana Azmi recently shared a heartfelt Instagram post featuring a candid moment with her stepson, Farhan Akhtar, taken during his 2022 wedding to Shibani Dandekar. In the photo, Farhan looks dapper in a black tuxedo with a bow tie, smiling warmly at Shabana as they share a joyful exchange amid the festivities. She captioned the picture, “My precious betu #Farhan. I love this moment.”
Shabana, who married lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar in 1984, has nurtured a close and respectful relationship with his children from his previous marriage to screenwriter Honey Irani—filmmaker Zoya Akhtar and actor-director Farhan Akhtar. In a 2023 Filmfare interview, Shabana credited Honey Irani for laying the foundation of trust and openness that has made their bond so special.
“We are very friendly. I have a great relationship with them based on friendship and trust. I value Farhan and Zoya very much, and I think they value me,” she shared. “A lot of that credit goes to their mom, Honey. I must say that she was very generous. If she had decided that the kids would not be friends with me, then they couldn’t have been friends with me.”
Shabana also highlighted the importance of respecting boundaries to maintain family harmony: “I have to accept in all honesty that I owe it to Honey that I have such a beautiful relationship not only with her children but also with her. We have a beautiful, happy bond. And I don’t poke my nose in their business.”
On the professional front, Shabana was last seen in the crime thriller Dabba Cartel, which premiered on Netflix on February 28. Directed by Hitesh Bhatia and produced by Excel Entertainment, the series features an ensemble cast including Anjali Anand, Jyotika, Sai Tamhankar, Shalini Pandey, Jisshu Sengupta, Lillete Dubey, Bhupendra Jadawat, and Gajraj Rao alongside Shabana.
She will next appear in Lahore 1947, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan Productions. The film boasts a star-studded cast including Preity Zinta, Sunny Deol, Ali Fazal, Karan Deol, and Shabana herself.
