Shibani Akhtar recently praised her husband Farhan Akhtar and his former spouse Adhuna Bhabani for the way they have brought up their daughters Shakya and Akira.

In an appearance on Rhea Chakraborty’s podcast Chapter 2 Shibani shared her experience joining the Akhtar family and commended the couple for raising considerate and progressive children who have had a positive impact on her life. In an interview Shibani revealed that the couple had even gone to the extent of counselling immediately after marriage as a way to better manage each other. Despite all these, Shibani did note how easily she adapted in the Akhtar family, terming them as having a progressive and open mindset. Shibani and Farhan, who got married in 2022 after dating for three years have experienced their fair share of highs and lows.

Shibani praised her stepdaughters Shakya and Akira for being exceptionally considerate and perceptive when it comes to the complexities of family relationships. She mentioned that their empathy and support have significantly smoothened her experience in navigating this blended family. "They aren’t your average teenagers," Shibani mentioned that she has gained valuable insights from their experiences.

Shibani appreciated her stepdaughters Shakya and Akira for their exceptional sensitivity and acuteness in matters concerning complex family relationships. For Shibani, their support and sympathy have eased much of the difficulties she went through in settling her life within the blended family. “This is a huge credit to both their parents. They have raised them to be understanding and incredibly thoughtful.”

In the course of the interview Shibani opened up about her bond with Farhan reminiscing about an instance when they sought therapy just days after getting married. She playfully noted that their therapist was taken aback by their choice to go for therapy so shortly after saying I do. Shibani also mentioned that although they occasionally had not much to talk about during these sessions couples therapy had a beneficial effect on their relationship assisting them in handling disagreements, with a productive approach. In her closing remarks Shibani shared her appreciation for being welcomed into the Akhtar family.