Amazon Prime Video’s ‘Angry Young Men’ gave glimpses into the rise and fall of India’s most iconic writing duo of Salim-Javed. While the docu-series largely focussed on the collaborative works of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, it also gave an insight into their personal lives.

In the docu-series that premiered on Tuesday, Javed candidly spoke about his marriage with his first wife, Honey Irani. In a striking revelation, Akhtar shares how his longtime collaborator and friend Salim harboured an unshakeable superstition - that if he were to witness the marriage, it would inevitably lead to its downfall.

In the third episode of the series, Salim talks about Javed and honey’s early dating days. “Honey was a very good friend of mine. Javed suggested her name during the casting of Sita Aur Gita. They soon became excited about their relationship. Honey’s mother told him: ‘I don’t like you coming here every day, better marry her,’” said Salim.

Cut to Javed, who recalled Salim’s superstition about his and Honey’s wedding. Reminiscing the anecdote, he said, “Salim Sahab said, ‘You need two witnesses to get married. I replied: ‘There’s you. Obviously I’d choose no one else.’ He said, ‘Don’t make me a witness.’ I asked why? ‘All the marriages I have been a witness for have fallen apart.’”

“I am not a superstitious person at all. So I said, ‘No I don’t believe in all that. You will be my witness.’ But then he proved to be right,” added Javed.

Javed then went on to talk about the guilt he feels towards his first wife, whom he divorced in 1984, before marrying Shabana Azmi. “Honey is one person in the world towards whom I feel guilty. And she is the only person. 60 to 70 percent responsibility lies on my shoulders for the failure of that marriage. If I had as much understanding as I have today, perhaps things would not have gone wrong. It’s very difficult to accept. But that’s how it is.”

Javed and Honey got married in 1972. After 12 years of their marriage, the two headed for a divorce. Their two kids from marriage - Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar, continued to live with Honey.

Decades later, Honey said that they all continue to be thick even today. “I guess what had to happen, happened. But, one thing I’ll definitely say is that we’re still very good friends. I think we're best friends now. Yeah. I mean I know that he’s there for me whenever I need him. And he knows that I’m there for him, whatever he does. However many accidents he has! And the kids are there and they’re perfect with them, even Shabana has been very nice,” she is heard saying in the series.

Shabana on Javed-Honey’s split, her equation with their kids:

The series also shows Shabana talking about the time when Javed and Honey were headed for a divorce, throwing light on why she didn’t put forward her side of the story. She goes on to say, “In any relationship, which is a triangular relationship, it is very personal and it’s very painful, and especially when there are children involved. And it becomes more hurtful because people are so quick to pass a judgement and to say: ‘She’s a home-breaker! She’s a home-destroyer!’ Obviously, I wanted to explain my point of view, but then I figured that if I did that I would end up hurting far too many people. And so wisdom lay in keeping quiet and not explaining myself and getting the brickbats which obviously I would get.”

The 73-year-old actor further credited Honey for not turning their kids against her. “And I give huge credit to Honey because she could have very easily filled the children with tales against me. She just didn’t do that. She gave them the security that you do not have to consider her an evil stepmother. She and I have a very warm and a really nice relationship. And I’m very grateful because we were all very graceful. All three of us were very graceful but she, above all. She had the most to give and she gave that,” said Shabana.