Saba Azad and Imaad Shah, son of actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak, were in a live-in relationship for several years before parting ways in 2020. While their romantic chapter ended, the two chose to retain their bond, continuing to collaborate musically with their band and maintaining what both describe as a friendship that feels “like family.”In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Imaad recalled how natural the transition felt despite friends advising otherwise. “When we split, many said we shouldn’t meet for a while. But it felt more like an evolution than an ending. By the time it was officially over, there wasn’t much heartache,” he said.
‘Love never went away’
Saba echoed that sentiment, saying it never felt like a loss. “Unless someone has treated you badly, how do you stop loving them? It transforms into something else — a beautiful, platonic friendship where you always have each other’s back,” she explained. For her, the bond feels safer than romance, because “friendships last much longer.”She also revealed why they didn’t follow the so-called rules after splitting. “We were like, to hell with that, it’s our family. There was no way I was going to let Imz out of my life. We were very clear that we’d be friends forever — grow old together as friends.”
Better after breakup
Both admit that the friendship only got stronger once the romance ended. “We often joke that our relationship got better after we broke up,” Imaad laughed, while Saba agreed, “Much better. We became easier on each other, less judgmental, and way better friends.”Imaad compared it to a sieve, “It’s almost like we kept the good parts of our relationship and filtered out the rest.” Saba added that a little distance gave them perspective, helping them appreciate each other more.
No weirdness, only warmth
When asked how they made it work, Saba was clear that there was no awkwardness. “There was never any weirdness. Not even for a second. It was so natural. Bless everyone with that, may everyone get that,” she smiled.For her, the friendship feels like “unconditional support” and “family.” Imaad added that their shared experiences — the highs and lows — bring “warmth” and a feeling of being truly seen.
Moving on, staying grounded
While Imaad and Saba continue to share a strong friendship, she has been in a steady relationship with Hrithik Roshan since 2022. The two went public at Karan Johar’s 50th birthday party and often share glimpses of their bond on social media. Over time, Saba has also grown close to Hrithik’s family, including his sons Hrehaan and Hridhaan from his marriage with Sussanne Khan, who is now dating Arslan Goni.
