Biography

Shabana Azmi

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One of the leading lights of the 1965-1990's Indian New Wave, Shabana Azmi (alongside the late Smita Patil) was one of the main female actors who dominated the films of the so-called "Parallel Cinema" in India in the 1970s and 1980s. Born to noted Urdu progressive poet and lyricist Kaifi Azmi and theatre actress Shaukat Azmi, Shabana has acted in films by virtually all of India's most famous art-house directors including Shyam Benegal, Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Aparna Sen and others, as well as in commercial and middle-of-the-road Hindi films, where she has essayed several strong female characters (e.g., in The Death Sentence: Mrityu Dand (1997) and Godmother (1999)). Shabana Azmi was paired opposite Rajesh Khanna in 7 successful films.She is noted for her naturalness and intensity on-screen, matched by her fierce advocacy of the rights of women, minorities and slum-dwellers off-screen, both through activism and in her role as a Member of Parliament, where her consistent stand in defense of liberal values and the freedom of expression is noteworthy. She has also acted on stage to considerable acclaim, most notably in Tumhari Amrita with Farookh Sheikh. She is married to noted scriptwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar.
- IMDb mini biography by: sd268

Considered to be the best Indian actress of her generation together with Smita Patil.
Aunt of Tabu and 'Farha'. Their mother Rizwana is the sister of Shabana Azmi.
Had successful on-screen chemistry with Rajesh Khanna and had 7 super-hit films.
One of India's most respected actresses, working in commercial and art house films alike.
Had a seven year long relationship with Shekhar Kapur.

I find it very frightening to be called an icon. To be institutionalised.
The trick of enjoying life is to accept your age. Don't fight the years, grow with them.
To speak in Parliament you really need to do your homework, otherwise you can be torn to shreds.
You cannot be detached from what you portray. I think it is inevitable that the roles you play affect you. The residue is bound to remain, even after you've played the role.
I'm not averse to doing anything as long as it's not at cross purposes with my values and I can make time for it.

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