Shabana Azmi - Bollywood Actress Extraordinarie

BandanaSen · Nov 10, 2010

Shabana Azmi is a Bollywood actress in a class all her own. I first noticed her when I watched her hit movie Masoom with Master Jugal Hansraj playing the little boy born out of wedlock. The film had the famous ditty - "lakdi ki khati, Khati pe ghora". Over the years she has made a name as a social activist especially slum dwellers of Bombay.
During the recent visit of the US President to India, Shabana Azmi along with her husband Javed Akhtar were invited both to the lunch hosted by Prime Minister of India and the dinner hosted by the President of India. They were introduced to President Obama as the first couple to have been elected to have been elected to the Rajya Sabha.:hiya

shefalisingh · Nov 10, 2010

Shabana Azmi is one of the senior bollywood actresses.:idea
I remember when some slums were being demolished in Mumbai about 20 years back, she went on hunger strike. It was successful and I think it was Dilip Kumar who offered her a glass of lemon juice.
Around the time, South Africa got rid of white rule and Nelson Mandela came to power, she went on stage and kissed Nelson Mandela with the media in attendance. Of course, it made news and the Maulvis went for her for kissing someone other than her husband! There was quite a hue and cry about the affair.:spin

MadhujaJ · Nov 10, 2010

The veteran actress Shabana Azmi has been a dedicated social activist in fighting AIDS and injustice in real life. She does not hesitate in voicing her opinion on a gamut of issues. Her activism had initially drawn skepticism and people interpreted her activism as publicity gimmick. But, with time, she has proved them wrong. Her celebrity status has positively helped her in emerging as a high-profile social activist.

The 1993 Mumbai riots disturbed her and she emerged as a strong critic of religious extremism. She took part in several plays and demonstrations protesting against communalism. She went on a four-day march for communal harmony from New Delhi to Meerut.
:bowdown

anandisingh · Nov 10, 2010

I remember the march that Madhuja is talking about. I think it was in 1989 when Asghar Ali Engineer and Swami Agnivesh accompanied Shabana.

Shabana Azmi has worked for slum dwellers, victims of the Latur earthquake and displaced Kashmiri Pandit migrants. She had opposed the advice of the grand mufti of Jama Masjid summoning the Indian Muslims to join Afghanistan in their fight. She retorted and advised the leader to go there alone.:bowdown This strong reaction from Shabana after the 9/11 encouraged other moderate Muslim leaders to preach tolerance and restraint. This helped in controlling terrorism.

She has been a powerful campaigner against the ostracism of HIV victims.
:bowdown

puni88 · Nov 10, 2010

anandisingh said: ↑

I.

She has been a powerful campaigner against the ostracism of HIV victims.
:bowdown
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Yes, I remember those days when she was the only one to come forward to act in the HIV Ad.

shaliniku · Nov 11, 2010

This versatile actress has won five National Awards in the Best Actress category. Her first was for “Ankur” in 1975. Then the awesome performance in the film Arth won her this prestigious accolade in 1983. The next two years saw Shabana win this esteemed award consecutively- for Khandhar in 1984 and Paar in 1985. In 1999, she reclaimed this award for Godmother.

She got international acclaim for her acting when she won the Best Actress award for Libaas in North Korea (in 1993). It was followed by the Best Actress award in the Taormina Arte Festival (Italy) for Gautam Ghose’s Patang.
:bowdown

sushmasrivastav · Nov 11, 2010

Shabana Azmi is the daughter of well known poet Kaifi Azmi and theatre actress Shaukat Azmi. I remember watching her perform in a Delhi theatre along with Farooque Shaikh in the famous play Tumahari Amrita.
Among her recent films, I was quite impressed with her performance in the film Godmother. The film is based on life of godmother Santokben Jadeja.
Along with the National Awards, Shabana Azmi has won three Filmfare awards for the films Swami(1978), Arth (1984), and Bhavna (1985). She was also honoured with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.