Shabana Azmi: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Indian actress}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

| name = Shabana Azmi

| image = Shabana Azmi SFU honorary degree (cropped).jpg

| image_size =  

| caption =  

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|9|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = [[Hyderabad]], [[Hyderabad State (1948–56)|Hyderabad State]] (present-day [[Telangana]]), India

| spouse = {{marriage|[[Javed Akhtar]]|1984}}

| father = [[Kaifi Azmi]]

| mother = [[Shaukat Kaifi]]

| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|social activist}}

| awards = [[Padma Bhushan]] (2012)

| birth_name = Shabana Kaifi Azmi

| relatives = See [[List of Hindi film clans#Akhtar-Azmi family|Akhtar-Azmi family]]

| children =

| module = {{Infobox officeholder|embed=yes

'''Shabana Azmi''' (born 18 September 1950) is an Indian actress who worked in [[Hindi]] films, television and theatre. Regarded as one of the finest actresses in India,<ref>{{Cite web|date=18 September 2020|title=Shabana Azmi {{!}} FCCI|url=https://filmcriticscircle.com/journal/shabana-azmi/|access-date=26 October 2020|website=Journal of Indian Cinema|language=en-GB}}</ref> Azmi's performances in films of various genres have earned her praise and several accolades. This includes a record five [[National Film Award for Best Actress|National Film Awards]]<ref name="parallel"/><ref name="coffee">{{cite news|author=Nagarajan, Saraswathy|date=18 December 2004|title=Coffee break with Shabana Azmi|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai, India|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/12/18/stories/2004121801660100.htm|url-status=dead|access-date=31 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041231142845/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/12/18/stories/2004121801660100.htm|archive-date=31 December 2004}}</ref> and five [[Filmfare Awards]]. She was honoured among "women in cinema" at the 30th [[International Film Festival of India]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Directorate of Film Festival|url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm30IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=30IIFA.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130012630/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm30IIFAAward.aspx?PdfName=30IIFA.pdf|archive-date=30 January 2013}}</ref> In 1988, the [[Government of India]] awarded her with [[Padma Shri]], the [[Indian honours system|fourth highest civilian honour]] of the country. In 2012, she was awarded [[Padma Bhushan]], the third highest civilian honour by the Government of India.

<!-- Born into a progressive family to -->The daughter of poet [[Kaifi Azmi]] and stage actress [[Shaukat Azmi]], she is an alumna of [[Film and Television Institute of India]] of [[Pune]]. Azmi made her film debut in 1974 and soon became one of the leading actresses of [[Parallel cinema]], a new-wave movement known for its serious content and neorealism and received government patronage during the times.<ref name="parallel">{{cite news|title=Parallel cinema seeing changes: Azmi|author=PTI|date=22 July 2005|access-date=31 January 2009|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-07-22/entertainment/27837509_1_shabana-azmi-indian-parallel-cinema-films|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105152516/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-07-22/entertainment/27837509_1_shabana-azmi-indian-parallel-cinema-films|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 November 2012}}</ref><ref name="soap">{{cite news|title=Shabana's soap opera|author=K., Bhumika|date=21 January 2006|access-date=31 January 2009|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/01/21/stories/2006012100690100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111091902/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/01/21/stories/2006012100690100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 January 2012|location=Chennai, India}}</ref> Azmi has appeared in over 120 [[Hindi]] and [[Bengali language|Bengali]] films in both mainstream and independent cinema, and since 1988, she has acted in several foreign projects. Several of her films have been cited as a form of [[progressivism]] which portrays [[Indian society]], its customs and traditions.  

In addition to acting, Azmi is a social and [[Feminism|women's rights]] [[Activism|activist]]. She is married to poet and screenwriter [[Javed Akhtar]].<ref name="times">{{cite news |title= In 'Bollywood,' Women Are Wronged or Revered |author= Edward A. Gargan |newspaper= New York Times |date= 17 January 1993 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/17/movies/film-in-bollywood-women-are-wronged-or-revered.html?pagewanted=all }}</ref> She is a [[Goodwill Ambassador]] of the [[United Nations Population Fund]] (UNPFA). In appreciation of Azmi's life and works, the [[President of India]] gave her a nominated (unelected) membership of the [[Rajya Sabha]], the upper house of parliament.<ref name="paedia" />

Azmi was born into a [[Shia]] family, in [[Hyderabad]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/14/stories/2007011410870400.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022154020/http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/14/stories/2007011410870400.htm |archive-date=22 October 2007 |access-date=6 February 2021| title=Shabana Azmi presented Akkineni award |url-status=dead |work=[[The Hindu]] | date=14 January 2007}}</ref> [[India]]. Her parents are [[Kaifi Azmi]] (an Indian poet) and [[Shaukat Azmi]] (a veteran [[Indian People's Theatre Association]] stage actress),<ref name=paedia/> both of whom were members of the [[Communist Party of India]]. Her brother, [[Baba Azmi]], is a [[cinematographer]], and her sister-in-law, [[Tanvi Azmi]], is also an actress. Azmi was named at the age of eleven by [[Ali Sardar Jafri]]. Her parents used to call her Munni. Baba Azmi was named by Prof. Masood Siddiqui as Ahmer Azmi. Her parents had an active social life, and their home was always thriving with people and activities of the communist party. It was not unusual for her to wake up in the morning and find members of the communist party sleeping about, from a previous night's communist social that ran late. Early in childhood, the environment in her home inculcated into her a respect for family ties, social and human values; and her parents always supported her to develop a passion for intellectual stimulation and growth.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?203602 |title= Kaifi Azmi |author= Kaifi Azmi |date= 28 May 1997 |work= [[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]|access-date=5 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.screenindia.com/old/20011102/ftribute.html |title= To Abba... with love |author= Shabana Azmi |date= 2 October 2010 |work= Screen |access-date= 5 March 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091219151007/http://www.screenindia.com/old/20011102/ftribute.html |archive-date= 19 December 2009 |url-status=dead |df= dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="rose">{{cite web |url= http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/511 |title= A conversation with actress and social activist Shabana Azmi |date= 6 March 2006 |publisher= Charlie Rose |access-date= 5 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090707184312/http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/511 |archive-date= 7 July 2009 |df= dmy-all }}</ref>

Azmi attended [[Queen Mary School, Mumbai]]. She completed a graduate degree in [[Psychology]] from [[St. Xavier's College, Mumbai]], and followed it with a course in acting at the [[Film and Television Institute of India]] (FTII), [[Pune]].<ref name=paedia/> She explained the reason she decided to attend the film institute, saying: "I had the privilege of watching [[Jaya Bhaduri]] in a (Diploma) film, ''Suman'', and I was completely enchanted by her performance because it was unlike the other performances I had seen. I really marvelled at that and said, 'My god, if by going to the Film Institute I can achieve that, that's what I want to do.'" Azmi eventually topped the list of successful candidates of 1972.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iaac.us/Indian%20Diaspora%20Film%20Festival%202004/Shabanaazmi.htm|title=Indo-American Arts Council, Inc.|access-date=7 January 2020}}</ref>

{{quote box|align=right|width=31em|quote="In ''Ankur'' she may not have fitted immediately into her rustic surroundings, but her poise and personality are never in doubt. In two high pitched scenes, she pulls out the stops to firmly establish herself as one of our finest dramatic actresses"|source=—[[Satyajit Ray]] on Azmi's performance in ''Ankur'' (1975)}}  

Azmi graduated from the [[Film and Television Institute of India|FTII]] in 1973 and signed on to [[Khwaja Ahmad Abbas]]' ''Faasla'' and began work on Kanti Lal Rathod's ''[[Parinay]]'' as well. Her first release, however, was [[Shyam Benegal]]'s directorial debut ''[[Ankur (film)|Ankur]]'' (1974). Belonging to the art-house genre of neo-realistic films, ''[[Ankur (film)|Ankur]]'' is based on a true story which occurred in [[Hyderabad, Telangana|Hyderabad]]. Azmi played Lakshmi, a married servant and villager who drifts into an affair with a college student who visits the countryside. Azmi was not the original choice for the film, and several leading actresses of that time refused to do it. The film went on to become a major critical success, and Azmi won the [[National Film Award for Best Actress]] for her performances.

She went on to receive the [[National Film Award (India)|National Film Award]] consecutively for three years from 1983 to 1985 for her roles in ''[[Arth (film)|Arth]]'', ''[[Khandhar]]'' and ''[[Paar (film)|Paar]]''. ''[[Godmother (film)|Godmother]]'' (1999) earned her another [[National Film Awards|National Film Award]], taking her tally to five. Azmi's acting has been characterised by a real-life depiction of the roles played by her. In ''[[Mandi (film)|Mandi]]'', she acted as a madam of a whorehouse. For this role, she put on weight and even chewed [[betel]]. Real life portrayals continued in almost all her movies. These included the role of a woman named Jamini resigned to her destiny in ''[[Khandhar]]'' and a typical urban Indian wife, homemaker and mother in ''[[Masoom (1983 film)|Masoom]]''.

She also acted in experimental and parallel Indian cinema. [[Deepa Mehta]]'s 1996 film ''[[Fire (1996 film)|Fire]]'' depicts her as a lonely woman, Radha, in love with her sister-in-law. The on-screen depiction of lesbianism (perhaps the first in Indian cinema) drew severe protests and threats from many social groups as well as by the Indian authorities. Her role as Radha brought her international recognition with the [[Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress]] at the 32nd [[Chicago International Film Festival|Chicago Film Festival]] and Jury Award for Best Actress at [[Outfest]], Los Angeles.<ref name="paedia" /> She was the initial choice for Deepa Mehta's ''[[Water (2005 film)|Water]]'', which was planned to hit the floors in 2000. A few scenes were already shot. Azmi had to shave her head with [[Nandita Das]] to portray the character of Shakuntala. However, due to political reasons, the film was shelved and later shot in 2005 with [[Seema Biswas]] replacing Azmi.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://brightlightsfilm.com/politics-deepa-mehtas-water/|title=The Politics of Deepa Mehta's Water|date=1 April 2000|website=Bright Lights Film Journal|access-date=14 June 2019}}</ref>

Some of her notable films are [[Shyam Benegal]]'s ''[[Nishant (film)|Nishant]]'' (1975), ''[[Junoon (1978 film)|Junoon]]'' (1978), ''[[Susman (film)|Susman]]'' (1978), and ''Antarnaad'' (1992); [[Satyajit Ray]]'s ''[[Shatranj Ke Khilari (film)|Shatranj Ke Khilari (The Chess Players)]]''; [[Mrinal Sen]]'s ''[[Khandhar]]'', ''[[Genesis (1986 film)|Genesis]]'', ''[[Ek Din Achanak]]''; [[Saeed Akhtar Mirza|Saeed Mirza]]'s ''[[Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai|Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai]]''; [[Sai Paranjpye]]'s ''[[Sparsh (film)|Sparsh]]'' and ''[[Disha]]''; [[Gautam Ghose]]'s ''[[Paar (film)|Paar]]''; [[Aparna Sen]]'s ''Picnic'' and ''[[Sati (film)|Sati]]''; [[Mahesh Bhatt]]'s ''[[Arth (film)|Arth]]''; and [[Vinay Shukla]]'s ''[[Godmother (film)|Godmother]]''. Her other films include the commercially successful [[Manmohan Desai]]'s ''[[Amar Akbar Anthony]]'' and ''[[Parvarish (1977 film)|Parvarish]]'' and [[Prakash Mehra]]'s ''[[Jwalamukhi (1980 film)|Jwalamukhi]]''. Azmi starred in [[Hollywood]] productions such as [[John Schlesinger]]'s ''[[Madame Sousatzka]]'' (1988) and [[Roland Joffé|Roland Joffe]]'s ''[[City of Joy (1992 film)|City of Joy]]'' (1992).

Azmi was engaged to [[Benjamin Gilani]] in late 1970s, but the engagement was called off.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.filmfare.com/features/actor-and-rebel-shabana-azmi-4649.html|title=Actor and rebel: Shabana Azmi|website=filmfare.com|access-date=14 June 2019}}</ref> Later, she married [[Javed Akhtar]], a lyricist, poet and scriptwriter in Hindi films, on 9 December 1984, making her a member of the [[List of Hindi film clans#The Akhtar-Azmi family|Akhtar-Azmi film family]].<ref name=st>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenindia.com/old/20000922/50.htm |title=THE DYNAMIC DYNASTIES: What would the world of films be without them? |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100210044146/http://www.screenindia.com/old/20000922/50.htm |archive-date=10 February 2010 |work=Screen |date=22 September 2000}}</ref> It was Javed Akhtar's second marriage, the first being with another [[Hindi film]] scriptwriter, [[Honey Irani]]. However Azmi's parents objected to her being involved with a married man with 2 children ([[Farhan Akhtar]] and [[Zoya Akhtar]]).<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.screenindia.com/old/20001208/freview.htm |title= Javed Akhtar: It's not so easy |author= Ali Peter John |date= 8 December 2000 |work= [[Screen (magazine)|Screen]] |access-date= 5 March 2010 }}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kaifiyat.in/for-abba-with-love-by-shabana-azmi/ |title=For Abba with Love by Shabana Azmi |work=Kaifiyat |access-date=31 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122083938/http://www.kaifiyat.in/for-abba-with-love-by-shabana-azmi/ |archive-date=22 January 2013 }}</ref> Indian actresses [[Farah (actress)|Farah Naaz]] and [[Tabu (actress)|Tabu]] are her nieces and [[Tanvi Azmi]] is her sister-in-law.

Azmi has been a committed social activist, active in supporting [[child survival]] and fighting [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]] and injustice in real life.<ref name=UN>{{cite web|publisher=United Nations|title=Biographies: A-F|url=https://www.un.org/advocates/bios.htm|access-date=24 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]|date=12 October 1999|access-date=24 February 2011|title=World population crosses 6&nbsp;billion|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99oct13/nation.htm#a|agency=Tribune News Service}}</ref>

She has participated in several plays and demonstrations denouncing [[Communalism (South Asia)|communalism]]. In 1989, along with [[Swami Agnivesh]] and [[Asghar Ali Engineer]], she undertook a four-day march for communal harmony from New Delhi to [[Meerut]]. Among the social groups whose causes she has advocated are slum dwellers, displaced [[Kashmiri Pandit]] migrants and victims of the [[1993 Latur earthquake|earthquake at Latur]] ([[Maharashtra]], India). The [[Mumbai Riots|1993 Mumbai riots]] appalled her and she emerged as a forceful critic of religious extremism. In 1995, she reflected on her life as an activist in an interview in Rungh.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Merchant|first=Ameen|date=1995|title=Being Shabana Azmi|url=https://digital.lib.sfu.ca/rungh-820/rungh-south-asian-quarterly-culture-comment-and-criticism-32-1995-page-5|journal=Rungh - A South Asian Quarterly of Culture, Comment and Criticism|location=Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada|publisher=Rungh Cultural Society|volume=3|pages=5–9|issn=1188-9950}}</ref> After the [[September 11 attacks|11 September 2001 attacks]], she opposed the advice of the grand mufti of [[Jama Masjid, Delhi|Jama Masjid]] calling upon the Muslims of India to join the people of [[Afghanistan]] in their fight by retorting that the leader go there alone.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2001/11/14/stories/041455jr.htm |title= The Indian Muslims trial by fire |author= Rasheeda Bhagat |date= 14 November 2001 |work= [[The Hindu]] Business Line|access-date=5 March 2010}}</ref>

She has campaigned against [[ostracism]] of victims of [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]].<ref name=UN/> A small film clip issued by the [[Government of India]] depicts an [[HIV]] positive child cuddled in her arms and saying: "She does not need your rejection, she needs your love". In a [[Bengali language|Bengali]] film named ''[[Meghla Akash]]'' , directed by Nargis Akter, she played the role of a physician treating [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]] patients.

She has also given her voice to an [[HIV/AIDS]] education animated software tutorial created by the nonprofit organisation [[TeachAIDS]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Animated film to educate students on HIV|url=http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JSC8yMDEwLzExLzI1I0FyMDA1MDA%3D|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=26 November 2010 |access-date=16 December 2010 }}</ref>

In [[2019 Indian general election]], she actively campaigned for [[Kanhaiya Kumar]] who contested from [[Begusarai]], [[Bihar]] for [[Communist Party of India|Communist Party of India (CPI)]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Rohit Kumar Singh |title=Shabana Azmi seek votes for Kanhaiya Kumar, attacks BJP |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha-2019/story/shabana-azmi-seek-votes-for-kanhaiya-kumar-attacks-bjp-1510452-2019-04-26 |access-date=5 May 2019 |work=[[India Today]] |date=26 April 2019 }}</ref>

* 1988: Awarded the [[Padma Shri]] from the [[Government of India]].

* 2012: Awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]] by the Government of India.<ref>{{cite web|date=27 January 2013|title=Padma Awards|url=http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=79881|access-date=27 January 2013|publisher=pib}}</ref>

Azmi has received the [[National Film Award for Best Actress]] five times, making her the overall most-awarded actor in the function:<ref name="paedia">{{cite book|author1=Gulzar |author2=Nihalani, Govind |author3=Chatterjee, Saibal |title=Encyclopaedia of Hindi cinema|year=2003|publisher=Popular Prakashan|page=524|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8y8vN9A14nkC&q=Encyclopaedia%20of%20Hindi%20cinema&pg=PT548|isbn=978-81-7991-066-5}}</ref>

|[[National Film Award for Best Actress]]

|[[Filmfare Award for Best Actress|Filmfare Best Actress Award]]

|''[[Arth (film)|Swami]]''

|1984

|''[[Paar (film)|Arth]]''

|1985

|[[Filmfare Best Villain Award]]

|[[Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award]]

|[[Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award]]

|[[Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award]]

|Best Actress award

|Best Actress award

|''[[Fire (1996 film)|Fire]]''

=== Miscellanous awards and honours ===

|Best Actress (Hindi)

|[[Star Screen Award Best Supporting Actress]]

|''[[Tehzeeb (2003 film)|Tehzeeb]]''  

* 1999: [[Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image]], Significant Contribution to Indian Cinema.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mumbaifilmfest.com/archives_1999.php|title=Archives 1999|publisher=[[Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image]]|access-date=8 October 2011}}</ref>

* 2006: [[Gandhi International Peace Award]], awarded by [[Gandhi Foundation]], London.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gandhifoundation.org/2006/11/14/2006-peace-award-shabana-azmi/|title=2006 Peace Award: Shabana Azmi|publisher=[[Gandhi Foundation]]|access-date=24 February 2009|date=14 November 2006}}</ref>

* 2009: She was honoured with the World Economic Forum's Crystal Award<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.financialexpress.com/news/wef-honours-amitabh-with-crystal-award/417839/ |title= WEF honours Amitabh with Crystal Award |date= 2 February 2009 |work= The Financial Express |access-date=5 March 2010}}</ref>

* 2013: Awarded the Honorary Fellowship by the National Indian Students Union UK<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/shabana-azmi-javed-akhtar-get-uk-fellowship/1084404|title=Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar get UK fellowship - Indian Express|website=archive.indianexpress.com|access-date=7 January 2020}}</ref>

* 2003: She was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by the [[Jadavpur University]] in [[West Bengal]] in 2003.<ref name="Arif Roomy">{{cite web|author=Arif Roomy|date=21 March 2013|title=Shabana proud of her hubby Dr. Javed Akhtar|url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2010/shabana-javed-doctorate-090410.html|access-date=21 March 2013|work=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)|The Telegraph]]}}</ref>

* 2007: She was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Art by Chancellor of the University Brandan Foster by the [[Leeds Metropolitan University]] in Yorkshire<ref>{{cite news|author=Amit Roy|date=11 June 2007|title=Amit degree in Gandhi hall|work=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)|The Telegraph]]|location=Calcutta, India|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070611/asp/nation/story_7906779.asp|access-date=5 March 2010}}</ref>

* 2008: She was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by the Jamia Milia Islamia on Delhi in 2008.<ref name="Arif Roomy" />

* 2013: She was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by Simon Fraser University.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Activist Shabana Azmi Receives Honorary Degree - Office of the Vice-President, Research - Simon Fraser University|url=https://www.sfu.ca/vpresearch/research-news/2013/Azmi/|access-date=25 May 2019|website=www.sfu.ca}}</ref>

* 2014: She was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by TERI University on 5 February 2014.<ref>{{cite news|last1=India|first1=Press Trust of|date=5 February 2014|title=TERI university honours Shabana Azmi, Anshu Jain|work=[[Business Standard]]|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/teri-university-honours-shabana-azmi-anshu-jain-114020501617_1.html|access-date=5 February 2014}}</ref>

* [http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-09-24/film/action-heroine/1 Article from the Village Voice]