Shaukat Kaifi

2021-09-27T13:59:34Z

2406:3003:2072:8E:247C:746E:625E:4808:

{{short description|Indian actress}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2019}}
{{use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{use Indian English|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Shaukat Kaifi
| image = Shaukat Kaifi in Umrao Jaan.jpeg
| caption = Kaifi in ''[[Umrao Jaan (1981 film)|Umrao Jaan]]'' (1981)
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1926|10|21}}
| birth_place = [[Hyderabad State]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2019|11|22|1926|10|21}}
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]
| occupation = Actress
| spouse = {{unbulleted list|[[Kaifi Azmi]]}}
| children = {{unbulleted list|[[Shabana Azmi]]|[[Baba Azmi]]}}
}}
'''Shaukat Kaifi''' (21 October 1926 – 22 November 2019),<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/actor-shaukat-kaifi-mother-of-shabana-azmi-passes-away/article30053037.ece | title=Actor, writer, comrade Shaukat Kaifi passes away | first=Namrata | last=Joshi | newspaper=The Hindu | date=22 November 2019 | accessdate=9 September 2020 }}</ref> also credited as '''Shaukat Azmi''', was an Indian theater and film actress. Her husband was the Urdu poet and film lyricist, [[Kaifi Azmi]]. The couple were leading lights of the [[Indian People's Theatre Association]] (IPTA) and the [[Progressive Writers Association]] (IWA), which were the cultural platforms of the [[Communist Party of India]].

==Biography==
Shaukat Kaifi was born into a Shia Muslim family of [[Uttar Pradesh]] migrants in [[Hyderabad State]]. She grew up in [[Aurangabad, India]]. At a young age, she fell in love and married the [[Urdu language|Urdu]] poet [[Kaifi Azmi]]. They had two children. Their son, [[Baba Azmi]], is a cameraman and now film director. He is married to [[Tanvi Azmi]], the daughter of [[Usha Kiran]], a famous actress. Shaukat and Kaifi's daughter, [[Shabana Azmi]] (b. 1950), is among the best actresses of Indian cinema. She is married to noted poet and film lyricist [[Javed Akhtar]].

Shaukat and Kaifi, who settled in Mumbai after their wedding, endured many ups and downs in life. Kaifi was a committed member of the Communist Party, so much so that, upon his request, his party membership card was buried with him when he died.

He worked hard for the [[Indian People's Theatre Association]] (IPTA) and the [[Progressive Writers Association]] (PWA), and for many years after their wedding, his income was the meagre stipend from the Party. For many years, the couple lived with their two children in Commune accommodation provided by the [[Communist Party of India]], which was one bedroom in an apartment shared with three other families. Since all the other families were also communists and involved with theatre or cinema, Shaukat was also bitten by the bug of theatre. Money was another incentive for her to act, and money was short for the couple after their two children began going to school.

In the mid-1950s, Kaifi began looking for work in the Mumbai film industry as a writer and lyricist. He struggled for a considerable period, writing memorable songs for films that however flopped. Kaifi then found success as a songwriter and the family fortunes took an upward turn. Within a few years, they were able to purchase an apartment in the posh Mumbai neighbourbood of [[Juhu]]. Her husband's association with the film industry helped Shaukat to take on roles in films too.

She appeared in about a dozen films, with significant roles in major productions like (''[[Garam Hawa]]'' and ''[[Umrao Jaan (1981 film)|Umrao Jaan]]''). In theatre, she appeared in a dozen plays. All this she could successfully do along with her domestic duties.

After Kaifi Azmi died in 2002, Shaukat Azmi wrote an autobiography, ''Kaifi and I'' which has been adapted into an Urdu play ''Kaifi aur Main'' featuring Shabana as her mother. It premiered in Mumbai in 2006 on the 4th death anniversary of [[Kaifi Azmi]].

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! '''Year''' !! '''Film''' !! '''Role'''
|-
| 2002|| ''[[Saathiya (film)|Saathiya]]''|| Bua
|-
| 1988|| ''[[Salaam Bombay!]]''|| Brothel owner
|-
| 1986|| ''[[Congregation (film)|Congregation]]'' (''[[Anjuman (1986 film)|Anjuman]]'')||
|-
| 1984|| ''[[Lorie (film)|Lorie]]''||
|-
| 1982|| ''[[Bazaar (1982 film)|Bazaar]]''|| Hajan Bi
|-
| 1981|| ''[[Umrao Jaan (1981 film)|Umrao Jaan]]''|| Khanum Jaan
|-
| 1977|| ''Dhoop Chhaon''|| The Pundit's wife
|-
| 1974|| ''[[Faslah]]''|| Parvati S. Chandra
|-
| 1974|| ''Scorching Winds'' (''[[Garam Hawa]]'')|| Jamila, Salim Mirza's wife
|-
| 1974|| ''Jurm aur Sazaa''|| Rajesh's Mother
|-
| 1974|| ''Woh Main Nahin'' ||
|-
| 1973|| ''[[Naina (1973 film)|Naina]]'' || Shashi Kapoor's aunt
|-
| 1970|| ''[[Heer Raanjha]]''||
|-
| 1964|| ''[[Haqeeqat (1964 film)|Haqeeqat]]'' ||
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0435013}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaifi, Shaukat}}
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:Actresses from Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:Indian stage actresses]]
[[Category:Indian People's Theatre Association people]]
[[Category:Indian women activists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:Activists from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:1926 births]]

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Shaukat Kaifi