According to the World Health Organization (WHO), alcohol is the name of the thing that causes 30,000 deaths every year, as well as disability and poor health for millions of people. What is also dangerous is that 5.1 percent of all illnesses worldwide are caused by alcohol.
Now if you’re wondering why we’re sharing this information, we’re sharing it so that if someone around you is addicted, you can help them. And the story of Bollywood’s veteran star (screenwriter and lyricist, not actor) Javed Akhtar will help you in this matter. Who hasn’t drunk alcohol in almost 33 years.
After entering Bollywood, Javed Akhtar, at the age of just 25, achieved a name that even big actors did not have at that time. Javed was known for charging more fees than any other major actor at the time. But he also became addicted to alcohol. Javed attended ABP Network’s Ideas of India Summit in 2023. During this time he shared things about his alcohol addiction and quitting.
Javed had said that he drank a bottle of alcohol every day and didn’t even have a hangover. But when he turned 41 or 42, he quite logically thought that if he continued drinking like this, his life might end in 52-53 years.
Javed explained the meaning of rationality and said how intelligently one thinks about something. And I asked myself whether I wanted to live long or drink. He also said that I didn’t drink alcohol because I was sad, but just because I enjoyed it. But I had to choose between staying alive or drinking alcohol, so I chose to stay alive.
Javed said he struggled to quit alcohol for two years. But he couldn’t tell anyone about it. If he had told his wife Shabana Azmi, she would have asked him to leave immediately and I didn’t want to leave immediately either. Once, on July 31, 1991, I drank the entire bottle of Bacardi. After that comes this day and today is the day I didn’t drink alcohol. After that I had no more problems. And my health also began to improve. After 2 to 3 years I had breathing problems. So I also gave up cigarettes.
As you also know, immediately after drinking alcohol, a person often does things that he might not do if he were intoxicated. According to the U.S. government website, the National Institutes of Health, alcohol causes blockages in the brain’s pathways, impairing the way the brain functions and altering behavior. And when intoxicated, people are unable to think properly.
Javed Akhtar also narrated the same in his own language. He said that if I hadn’t drunk alcohol, I probably never would have made a mistake. Alcohol was the reason for all the mistakes I made. He said it also has an impact on a person’s personal life. He told this when I realized that what I was doing was stupid and there was no glamour. There is neither dignity nor charm in this.
From everything written above it is clear that the most important thing when quitting alcohol or other drugs is self-confidence. If Javed, who quit alcohol exactly 33 years ago, has not touched alcohol till date, then it is like a lesson for every alcohol drinker that he too can get away from it. So if your loved one or you yourself are struggling with their addiction, then today think to yourself that it is wise to quit. Because in Javed’s language, being rational is very important.
It is possible that some myths came to someone’s mind. And he may think that this is a very important tool to enjoy life. So you have to understand that they are delusional. According to the World Health Organization and the American National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol also promotes diseases such as cancer. In addition, it also causes heart, liver and stomach problems. And there is nothing in alcohol that is even remotely beneficial for you.
He wrote films like Sholay and Shakti and wrote the best raps in the film Gully Boy. That Javed achieved all this because he got rid of his addiction in time with his self-confidence. If you only knew Javed Akhtar as a screenwriter, you can recognize him as your guide from today. Because your struggle with alcohol can be a source of learning for you.