Biggest guilt: Javed Sheikh wishes he didn’t divorce his first wife, Zeenat Mangi

Actor said that their kids suffered a lot because of the separation

Veteran actor Javed Sheikh has one big regret about his life decisions and its related to his marital life. The Om Shanti Om actor recently revealed that one of the most profound regrets of his life is his divorce from his first wife, former actor Zeenat Mangi. He shares two children with her; Shehzad Sheikh and Momal Sheikh.

Javed made a guest appearance on Subh Ka Samaa, a morning show hosted by Madeha Naqvi, where she asked the actor to recall the time when his wife took their kids and moved to another country. Upon how that felt and whether the void has been filled now, Javed expressed deep remorse over the unfortunate separation from Zeenat, and praised the resilience and strength shown by Shehzad and Momal as they navigated the challenges of growing up in a broken family.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t want separation from my wife and our kids, Shehzad and Momal, suffered a lot because of it. However, even in a broken family, the way they kept themselves strong was a big thing and this was just because of their mom,” he said.

The Teefa in Trouble actor further added that the “broken-ness” of his family was also covered when Zeenat would send their kids to Javed’s house when all of his family would gather together. “My kids, Saleem’s [Sheikh] kids, Behroz [Sabzwari], and my other siblings’ kids used to get together at our place. She would send them to have a family day with their dad. The credit for a family bonding despite the broken family goes to my ex-wife,” he exclaimed.

"My divorce is my biggest guilt. It should have not happened, and I wish it didn't happen," Javed confessed somberly, reflecting on the consequences of the separation on his family. “My kids were away from me for three years while I was married to Salma Agha,” he said.

Despite the regrets, Javed expressed gratitude for the strong bond he maintains with his children. After so many years, the actor shares an even closer relationship with his grandkids now, who fondly call him ‘Bani’ because ‘nana’ or ‘dada’ seems too old for Javed. “It’s a mix of Dada, Baba and Nana. When I think of a nana or dada, I see an old man with a long beard holding a stick. So, I’m Bani for them,” he laughed.

Javed also shared that his grandkids love the fact that their grandfather is an actor. “Shahmir has watched Teefa In Trouble at least 200 times. He knows all the dialogues and my actions. Since it's on Netflix, he flexes it in front of his friends that my Bani is an actor and a hero,” he said, proudly.

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