Well, Most people are of opinion that some people drink for social reasons or to overcome grief. Recently, renowned personality Javed Akhtar said he had a bad habit of drinking because he would do it for pleasure. He said that he was so addicted that he realized that if he didn’t stop, he would die in his 50s.
Javed Akhtar opens up on his struggle with alcoholism
In a conversation with Arbaaz Khan on Bollywood Bubble, the lyricist talked about the days when he could see his death coming soon.
“Main isliye peeta tha ki main enjoy karta tha (I drank because I enjoyed it), it was a pleasure. I was not drowning any sorrow in it. Magar mujhe ek baat samajh mein aayi, common sense kehta hai ki 52-53 tak mujhe marr jana chahiye, if this is how I drink. Isse upar umar meri jani nahi chahiye with this kind of drinking (But I understood one thing, common sense dictates that with this kind of drinking, I would die by 52-53)”.
Akhtar went on to reveal that he drank a big bottle of Rum on July 31, 1991, and from the very next day August 1, he gave up alcohol completely. Since then, he had not even had a sip of champagne. When Arbaaz applauded his willpower, Javed said,
“Arre willpower koi cheez hi nahi hai (Willpower is nothing). It is the intensity of desire.”
Now, Javed says that his biggest addiction is living. “Isse strong addiction koi nahi (There is no bigger addiction that this).”
Javed Akhtar had previously opened up about his struggle with alcoholism on a 2012 episode of Aamir Khan’s Satyameva Jayate.
“I started drinking at the very young age of 19. When I came to Bombay (now Mumbai) after completing my graduation I started drinking with friends and later it became a habit. Earlier I didn’t have enough money, but then after my success, the money flow was also taken care of. Then came a time when I would drink one bottle a day,” he had said.
