Shabana Azmi
Encyclopedia
Shabana Azmi is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. An alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India
of Pune
, she made her film debut in 1974 and soon became one of the leading actresses of parallel cinema
, an Indian New Wave movement known for its serious content and neo-realism. Regarded as one of the finest actresses in India, Azmi's performances in films in a variety of genres have generally earned her praise and awards, which include a record of five wins of the National Film Award for Best Actress
and several international honours. She has also received four Filmfare Awards
.
Azmi has appeared in over 120 Hindi films in both mainstream and independent cinema, and since 1988 she has acted in several foreign projects. In addition to acting, Azmi is a social and women's rights activist, a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Population Fund
(UNPFA), and a member of the Rajya Sabha
, the upper house of the Indian parliament. She is married to Indian poet and screenwriter Javed Akhtar
.
(an Indian poet) and Shaukat Azmi (a veteran Indian People's Theatre Association
stage actress), both of whom were members of the Communist Party of India
. Her brother, Baba Azmi
, is a cinematographer. 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 was 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.
Azmi did her schooling from the premier girl's school, 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. She described the reason she decided to attend the film institute, saying, "I had 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.
' Faasla and began work on Kanti Lal Rathod's Parinay as well. Her first release, however, was Shyam Benegal
's directorial debut Ankur
(1974). Belonging to the arthouse genre of neo-realistic films, Ankur is based on a true story which occurred in 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. Upperstall.com
described her work in the film as "an outstanding psychologically penetrating performance very different from those seen normally till then in mainstream Hindi cinema", and famous independent filmmaker Satyajit Ray
commented, "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".
She went on to receive the National Film Award consecutively for three years from 1983 to 1985 for her roles in movies, Arth
, Khandhar
and Paar
. Another film Godmother (1999) earned her another National Film Award, taking her tally to five.
Azmi’s acting has been characterized by a real-life depiction of the roles played by her. In 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
.
She also acted in experimental and parallel Indian cinema. Deepa Mehta’s 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 Film Festival
and Jury Award for Best Actress at Outfest
, Los Angeles.
Some of her notable films include Shyam Benegal
's Nishant
(1975), Junoon
(1978), Susman (1986), and Antarnaad (1992); Satyajit Ray
’s Shatranj Ke Khiladi
; Mrinal Sen
’s Khandhar
, Genesis
, Ek Din Achanak
; Saeed Mirza’s Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai; Sai Paranjpye’s Sparsh
and Disha; Gautam Ghose
’s Paar
; Aparna Sen
’s Picnic and Sati
; Mahesh Bhatt
’s Arth
; Vinay Shukla’s Godmother. Her other films include the commercially successful Manmohan Desai
's Amar Akbar Anthony
, and Parvarish and Prakash Mehra
’s Jwalamukhi. Azmi starred in Hollywood productions such as John Schlesinger
’s Madame Sousatzka
(1988) and Roland Joffe’s City of Joy
(1992).
Azmi debuted on the small screen in a soap opera titled Anupama. She portrayed a modern Indian woman who, while endorsing traditional Indian ethos and values, negotiated more freedom for herself. She had also participated in many stage plays, and notable among them include M. S. Sathyu’s Safed Kundali (1980), based on The Caucasian Chalk Circle
; and Feroz Abbas Khan
's Tumhari Amrita
along with actor Farooq Sheikh, which ran for five years. She toured Singapore on an assignment with the Singapore Repertory Theatre
Company, acting in Ingmar Bergman
’s adaptation of Ibsen
’s A Doll's House
, which was directed by Rey Buono. Pointing out the differences in all these media, she once remarked that theatre was really the actor’s medium; the stage was actor’s space; cinema was the director’s medium; and television was a writer’s medium.
. She married Javed Akhtar
, a lyricist, poet and Bollywood
scriptwriter on 9 December 1984, making her a member of the Akhtar-Azmi film family. It was Akhtar’s second marriage, the first being with Bollywood scriptwriter, Honey Irani
. Indian actresses Farah Naaz
and Tabu
are her nieces.
and fighting AIDS
and injustice in real life. Azmi has voiced her opinion on a variety of issues. Initially, her activism drew skepticism and was dubbed by some as a publicity gimmick. However, she proved her critics wrong and used her celebrity status to emerge as a high-profile social activist.
She had participated in several plays and demonstrations denouncing 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 earthquake at Latur (Maharashtra
, India). The 1993 Mumbai riots
appalled her and she emerged as a forceful critic of religious extremism. After the 11 September 2001 attacks, she opposed the advice of the grand mufti of 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.
She has campaigned against ostracism of victims of AIDS
. 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 film named Meghla Aakash she played the role of a physician treating AIDS patients.
She has also given her voice to an HIV/AIDS education animated software tutorial created by the nonprofit organization TeachAIDS
.
Since 1989, she has been a member of the National Integration Council headed by the Prime Minister of India
; a member of National AIDS Commission (of India); and was nominated (in 1997) as a member of the Rajya Sabha
, the upper house of the Indian parliament. In 1998, the United Nations Population Fund
appointed her as its Goodwill Ambassador for India.
. Several of her films have received attention in the international arena, including at the Norwegian Film Institute, the Smithsonian Institution
and the American Film Institute
. She has appeared in a number of foreign films, most of which have won international acclaim, including John Schlesinger
’s Madame Sousatzka
, Nicholas Klotz’s Bengali Night, Roland Joffe
’s City of Joy
, Channel 4
’s Immaculate Conception, Blake Edwards
' Son of the Pink Panther
, and Ismail Merchant
’s In Custody
.
five times, making her the overall most-awarded actor in the function:
Nominated:
Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India , is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. It is fully aided by Central Government of India. It is situated in the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune, India...
of Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, she made her film debut in 1974 and soon became one of the leading actresses of parallel cinema
Parallel Cinema
The Indian New Wave, commonly known in India as Art Cinema or Parallel Cinema as an alternative to the mainstream commercial cinema, is a specific movement in Indian cinema, known for its serious content, realism and naturalism, with a keen eye on the sociopolitical climate of the times...
, an Indian New Wave movement known for its serious content and neo-realism. Regarded as one of the finest actresses in India, Azmi's performances in films in a variety of genres have generally earned her praise and awards, which include a record of five wins of the National Film Award for Best Actress
National Film Award for Best Actress
The National Film Award for Best Actress is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actress who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry...
and several international honours. She has also received four Filmfare Awards
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
.
Azmi has appeared in over 120 Hindi films in both mainstream and independent cinema, and since 1988 she has acted in several foreign projects. In addition to acting, Azmi is a social and women's rights activist, a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Population Fund
United Nations Population Fund
The United Nations Population Fund is a UN organization. The work of the UNFPA involves promotion of the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. This is done through major national and demographic surveys and with population censuses...
(UNPFA), and a member of the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
, the upper house of the Indian parliament. She is married to Indian poet and screenwriter Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...
.
Early life and background
Shabana Azmi was born in a Muslim family. Her parents are Kaifi AzmiKaifi Azmi
Kaifi Azmi was an Indian Urdu poet. He is considered to be one the greatest Urdu poets of 20th century. Together with Pirzada Qasim, Jon Eliya and many others he participated in many memorable mushairas of 20th century.-Early life:...
(an Indian poet) and Shaukat Azmi (a veteran Indian People's Theatre Association
Indian People's Theatre Association
Indian People’s Theatre Association was an association of leftist theatre-artists and others mostly based in Kolkata, West Bengal, Mumbai and Assam, India. Its goal was to bring cultural awakening among the people of India. It was the cultural wing of the Communist Party of India...
stage actress), both of whom were members of the Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
. Her brother, Baba Azmi
Baba Azmi
Baba Azmi is an Indian film cinematographer and member of the Akhtar-Azmi film family. He is the child of the late poet and lyricist Kaifi Azmi. Even though he is not as known as his sister, Shabana Azmi, he has used his lenses in films like, m Arjun, Beta, Dil, Tezaab, Mr. India, Akele Hum Akele...
, is a cinematographer. 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 was 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.
Azmi did her schooling from the premier girl's school, Queen Mary School, Mumbai. She completed a graduate degree in Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
from St. Xavier’s College
St. Xavier's College, Bombay
St. Xavier's College in Mumbai , India is a Roman Catholic college in the Jesuit tradition. The college is named after Francis Xavier, the 16th century Spanish Jesuit saint. It has been awarded the highest rating A+ in the re-accreditation by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council in...
, Mumbai, and followed it with a course in acting at the Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India , is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. It is fully aided by Central Government of India. It is situated in the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune, India...
(FTII), Pune. She described the reason she decided to attend the film institute, saying, "I had 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.
Career
Azmi graduated from the FTII in 1973 and went on to sign on Khwaja Ahmad AbbasKhwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas , popularly known as K. A. Abbas, was an Indian film director, novelist, screenwriter, and a journalist in the Urdu, Hindi and English languages...
' Faasla and began work on Kanti Lal Rathod's Parinay as well. Her first release, however, was Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
's directorial debut Ankur
Ankur (film)
Ankur is an Indian colour film of 1974. It was the first feature film directed by Shyam Benegal and the debut of Indian actors Shabana Azmi and Anant Nag...
(1974). Belonging to the arthouse genre of neo-realistic films, Ankur is based on a true story which occurred in 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
National Film Award for Best Actress
The National Film Award for Best Actress is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actress who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry...
for her performances. Upperstall.com
Upperstall.com
Upperstall.com is a web site on Indian cinema that focuses on classic and independent Indian cinema and its luminaries. It is owned and run by Karan Bali, Saumil Gandhi and Karan Anshuman and launched on 7 July 2000, heralding the 104th anniversary of the first ever motion picture screenings in India...
described her work in the film as "an outstanding psychologically penetrating performance very different from those seen normally till then in mainstream Hindi cinema", and famous independent filmmaker Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
commented, "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".
She went on to receive the National Film Award consecutively for three years from 1983 to 1985 for her roles in movies, Arth
Arth (film)
Arth is a 1982 film directed by Mahesh Bhatt, starring Shabana Azmi, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Smita Patil, Raj Kiran and Rohini Hattangadi. It features a memorable soundtrack by Ghazal duo, Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh....
, Khandhar
Khandhar
Khandahar is a 1984 Hindi movie directed by Mrinal Sen, based on a Bengali novel, Telenapota Abishkar by Premendra Mitra. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapoor...
and Paar
Paar (film)
Paar is a 1984 Hindi movie directed by Goutam Ghose. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri. Naseeruddin Shah won a Volpi Cup for his role as Naurangia.- Plot :...
. Another film Godmother (1999) earned her another National Film Award, taking her tally to five.
Azmi’s acting has been characterized by a real-life depiction of the roles played by her. In Mandi
Mandi (film)
Mandi is a 1983 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal.The film is a satirical comedy on politics and prostitution, and stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil...
, she acted as a madam of a whorehouse. For this role, she put on weight and even chewed betel
Betel
The Betel is the leaf of a vine belonging to the Piperaceae family, which includes pepper and Kava. It is valued both as a mild stimulant and for its medicinal properties...
. Real life portrayals continued in almost all her movies. These included the role of a woman named Jamini resigned to her destiny in Khandhar
Khandhar
Khandahar is a 1984 Hindi movie directed by Mrinal Sen, based on a Bengali novel, Telenapota Abishkar by Premendra Mitra. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapoor...
, and a typical urban Indian wife, homemaker and mother in Masoom
Masoom
Masoom is a 1983 Indian film and Shekhar Kapur's first directorial venture. The critically acclaimed film starred Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Tanuja, Supriya Pathak and Saeed Jaffrey, as well as child actors Jugal Hansraj, Aradhana and Urmila Matondkar. The screenplay and dialogues were...
.
She also acted in experimental and parallel Indian cinema. Deepa Mehta’s 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 Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America....
and Jury Award for Best Actress at Outfest
Outfest
Outfest is an LGBT-oriented film showcase and festival in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1982 as the "Gay and Lesbian Media Festival and Conference", the name was changed to Outfest in 1994.-Programs:...
, Los Angeles.
Some of her notable films include Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
's Nishant
Nishant (film)
Nishant is a 1975 Hindi crime drama film directed by Shyam Benegal, and written by noted playwright Vijay Tendulkar. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil...
(1975), Junoon
Junoon (1978 film)
The soundtrack features 4 songs, composed by Vanraj Bhatia, with original lyrics from Yogesh Praveen and other lyrics by Amir Khusro, Jigar Moradabadi and Sant Kabir.#"Khusro rain piya ki jaagi pee ke sang" – Jamil Ahmad...
(1978), Susman (1986), and Antarnaad (1992); Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
’s Shatranj Ke Khiladi
Shatranj Ke Khiladi
The Chess Players is a genre painting of 1876 by American artist Thomas Eakins . It is a small oil on wood panel depicting Eakins' father Benjamin observing a chess match. The two players are Bertrand Gardel , an elderly French teacher, and the somewhat younger George Holmes, a painter...
; Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen is a Bengali Indian filmmaker. He was born on 14 May 1923, in the town of Faridpur, now in Bangladesh in a Hindu family. After finishing his high school there, he left home to come to Calcutta as a student and studied physics at the well-known Scottish Church College and at the...
’s Khandhar
Khandhar
Khandahar is a 1984 Hindi movie directed by Mrinal Sen, based on a Bengali novel, Telenapota Abishkar by Premendra Mitra. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapoor...
, Genesis
Genesis (1986 film)
Genesis is a 1986 Hindi-language movie directed by Mrinal Sen. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri. It was entered into the 1986 Cannes Film Festival.- Plot :...
, Ek Din Achanak
Ek Din Achanak
Ek Din Achanak is a 1989 art film directed by Mrinal Sen, based on a Bengali novel, Beej by Ramapada Chowdhury..- Synopsis :...
; Saeed Mirza’s Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai; Sai Paranjpye’s Sparsh
Sparsh (film)
Sparsh is a 1980 Bollywood feature film directed by Sai Paranjpye. It stars Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi playing the characters of a visually impaired principal and a "sighted" teacher in a School of the Blind, where both the characters fall in love with each other though soon their complexes...
and Disha; Gautam Ghose
Gautam Ghose
Goutam Ghose is one of the most acclaimed film directors of modern India. Born in Calcutta. Graduated from Calcutta University....
’s Paar
Paar (film)
Paar is a 1984 Hindi movie directed by Goutam Ghose. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri. Naseeruddin Shah won a Volpi Cup for his role as Naurangia.- Plot :...
; Aparna Sen
Aparna Sen
Aparna Sen is a critically acclaimed Bengali Indian filmmaker, script writer, and actress. She is the winner of three National Film Awards and eight international film festival awards.-Biography:...
’s Picnic and Sati
Sati (film)
Sati is a Bengali movie released in 1989 directed by Aparna Sen.The movie featured Shabana Azmi.- Synopsis :The young Brahmin girl in this story has a disastrous horoscope. In an Indian village in 1828, this can be a real handicap. The fact that she is mute only compounds her difficulties. Her...
; Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt , is a prominent Indian film director, producer and screenwriter.Bhatt's early directional career consisted of acclaimed films, such as Arth, Saaransh, Janam, Naam and Zakhm....
’s Arth
Arth (film)
Arth is a 1982 film directed by Mahesh Bhatt, starring Shabana Azmi, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Smita Patil, Raj Kiran and Rohini Hattangadi. It features a memorable soundtrack by Ghazal duo, Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh....
; Vinay Shukla’s Godmother. Her other films include the commercially successful Manmohan Desai
Manmohan Desai
Manmohan Desai was a producer and director of Indian movies.- Background :His father, Kikubhai Desai, was an Indian film producer and owner of Paramount Studios from 1931 to 1941. His productions, mainly stunt films, included Circus Queen, Golden Gang, and Sheikh Challi...
's Amar Akbar Anthony
Amar Akbar Anthony
Amar Akbar Anthony is a 1977 Bollywood film about three brothers separated during their childhood who grew up in three homes, adopting three religions...
, and Parvarish and Prakash Mehra
Prakash Mehra
-Career:Born on 13 July 1939 at Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, India, Mehra started in the late 1950s as a production controller. In 1968, he directed Shashi Kapoor who played a double role in Haseena Maan Jayegi. This was followed by the 1971 hit Mela starring the Khan brothers together. In 1973, he...
’s Jwalamukhi. Azmi starred in Hollywood productions such as John Schlesinger
John Schlesinger
John Richard Schlesinger, CBE was an English film and stage director and actor.-Early life:Schlesinger was born in London into a middle-class Jewish family, the son of Winifred Henrietta and Bernard Edward Schlesinger, a physician...
’s Madame Sousatzka
Madame Sousatzka
Madame Sousatzka is a 1988 British drama film directed by John Schlesinger, with a screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. It is based upon the novel of the same name by Bernice Rubens.-Plot synopsis:...
(1988) and Roland Joffe’s City of Joy
City of Joy (film)
City of Joy is a 1992 film directed by Roland Joffé, with a screenplay by Mark Medoff. It is based upon the novel of the same name by Dominique Lapierre.-Plot:...
(1992).
Azmi debuted on the small screen in a soap opera titled Anupama. She portrayed a modern Indian woman who, while endorsing traditional Indian ethos and values, negotiated more freedom for herself. She had also participated in many stage plays, and notable among them include M. S. Sathyu’s Safed Kundali (1980), based on The Caucasian Chalk Circle
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
The Caucasian Chalk Circle is a play by the German modernist playwright Bertolt Brecht. An example of Brecht's epic theatre, the play is a parable about a peasant girl who rescues a baby and becomes a better mother than its natural parents....
; and Feroz Abbas Khan
Feroz Abbas Khan
Feroz Abbas Khan is an Indian theatre and film director, playwright and screenwriter, who is most known for directing plays like Saalgirah, Tumhari Amrita , Salesman Ramlal and Gandhi Viruddh Gandhi.-Career:...
's Tumhari Amrita
Tumhari Amrita
Tumhari Amrita is a play directed by Feroz Abbas Khan. Its two member cast include Shabana Azmi and Farooq Sheikh. It is an Indian context adaptation of A. R. Gurney's hugely popular American play, Love Letters in Epistolary form, and the Hindi/Urdu version was created in 1992 by playwright Javed...
along with actor Farooq Sheikh, which ran for five years. She toured Singapore on an assignment with the Singapore Repertory Theatre
Singapore Repertory Theatre
The Singapore Repertory Theatre is the first Singapore-based professional theatre group which was founded in 1993. It is reputed to be the leading English language theatres in whole of Asia...
Company, acting in Ingmar Bergman
Ingmar Bergman
Ernst Ingmar Bergman was a Swedish director, writer and producer for film, stage and television. Described by Woody Allen as "probably the greatest film artist, all things considered, since the invention of the motion picture camera", he is recognized as one of the most accomplished and...
’s adaptation of Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
’s A Doll's House
A Doll's House
A Doll's House is a three-act play in prose by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premièred at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having been published earlier that month....
, which was directed by Rey Buono. Pointing out the differences in all these media, she once remarked that theatre was really the actor’s medium; the stage was actor’s space; cinema was the director’s medium; and television was a writer’s medium.
Personal life
In the initial stage of her career, she was linked to film director Shekhar KapurShekhar Kapur
Shekhar Kapur is an Indian film director and producer. A critically acclaimed director, he rose to popularity with the movie Bandit Queen...
. She married Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...
, a lyricist, poet and Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
scriptwriter on 9 December 1984, making her a member of the Akhtar-Azmi film family. It was Akhtar’s second marriage, the first being with Bollywood scriptwriter, Honey Irani
Honey Irani
-Personal life and background:Honey Irani was born into a Zoroastrian family on January 17, 1950. She was married to Javed Akhtar. Although the marriage ended in divorce, it produced two children, son Farhan Akhtar and daughter Zoya Akhtar. Both her children are critically acclaimed Indian...
. Indian actresses Farah Naaz
Farah (actress)
Farah Naaz was one of the most famous Bollywood actresses in the 1980s and early 90s. Her landmark films were Hamara Khandaan , Naqab , Yateem and Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri . She retired from acting at the peak of her career in 1990 at the age of 22...
and Tabu
Tabu (actress)
Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
are her nieces.
Social activism
Shabana Azmi has been a committed social activist, active in supporting child survivalChild survival
Child survival is a field of public health concerned with reducing child mortality. Child survival interventions are designed to address the most common causes of child deaths that occur, which includes diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, and neonatal conditions...
and fighting AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
and injustice in real life. Azmi has voiced her opinion on a variety of issues. Initially, her activism drew skepticism and was dubbed by some as a publicity gimmick. However, she proved her critics wrong and used her celebrity status to emerge as a high-profile social activist.
She had participated in several plays and demonstrations denouncing communalism
Communalism
Communalism is a term with three distinct meanings according to the Random House Unabridged Dictionary'.'These include "a theory of government or a system of government in which independent communes participate in a federation". "the principles and practice of communal ownership"...
. In 1989, along with Swami Agnivesh
Swami Agnivesh
Agnivesh is an Indian social worker, self-proclaimed Arya Samaj scholar, and a Hindu social activist. He is best known for his work against bonded labour through the Bonded Labour Liberation Front, which he founded in 1981...
and Asghar Ali Engineer
Asghar Ali Engineer
Asghar Ali Engineer, an Indian Muslim, is an reformist-writer and activist. Internationally known for his work on liberation theology in Islam, he leads the Progressive Dawoodi Bohra movement. The focus of his work is on communalism and communal and ethnic violence in India and South Asia...
, she undertook a four-day march for communal harmony from New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
to Meerut. Among the social groups whose causes she has advocated are slum dwellers, displaced Kashmiri Pandit
Kashmiri Pandit
The Kashmiri Pandits are a Hindu Brahmin community originating from Kashmir, a mountainous region in South Asia.-Background:The Hindu caste system of the region was influenced by the influx of Buddhism from the time of Asoka, around the third century BCE, and a consequence of this was that the...
migrants and victims of the earthquake at Latur (Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India). The 1993 Mumbai riots
Bombay Riots
The Bombay Riots usually refers to the riots in Mumbai, in December 1992 and January 1993, in which around 900 people died. An estimated 575 Muslims and 275 Hindus died, and 2,000 people were injured in the riots. . An investigative commission was formed under Justice B.N. Srikrishna, but the...
appalled her and she emerged as a forceful critic of religious extremism. After the 11 September 2001 attacks, she opposed the advice of the grand mufti of Jama Masjid calling upon the Muslims of India to join the people of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in their fight by retorting that the leader go there alone.
She has campaigned against ostracism of victims of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. A small film clip issued by the Government of India depicts an HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
positive child cuddled in her arms and saying: "She does not need your rejection, she needs your love". In a Bengali film named Meghla Aakash she played the role of a physician treating AIDS patients.
She has also given her voice to an HIV/AIDS education animated software tutorial created by the nonprofit organization TeachAIDS
TeachAIDS
TeachAIDS is a nonprofit organization that develops HIV prevention education technology materials, based on an approach invented through research at Stanford University.The TeachAIDS software has been cited as a model health intervention...
.
Since 1989, she has been a member of the National Integration Council headed by the Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
; a member of National AIDS Commission (of India); and was nominated (in 1997) as a member of the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
, the upper house of the Indian parliament. In 1998, the United Nations Population Fund
United Nations Population Fund
The United Nations Population Fund is a UN organization. The work of the UNFPA involves promotion of the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. This is done through major national and demographic surveys and with population censuses...
appointed her as its Goodwill Ambassador for India.
Selected filmography
She has acted in more than one hundred Hindi films, both in the mainstream as well as in parallel cinemaParallel Cinema
The Indian New Wave, commonly known in India as Art Cinema or Parallel Cinema as an alternative to the mainstream commercial cinema, is a specific movement in Indian cinema, known for its serious content, realism and naturalism, with a keen eye on the sociopolitical climate of the times...
. Several of her films have received attention in the international arena, including at the Norwegian Film Institute, the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
and the American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
. She has appeared in a number of foreign films, most of which have won international acclaim, including John Schlesinger
John Schlesinger
John Richard Schlesinger, CBE was an English film and stage director and actor.-Early life:Schlesinger was born in London into a middle-class Jewish family, the son of Winifred Henrietta and Bernard Edward Schlesinger, a physician...
’s Madame Sousatzka
Madame Sousatzka
Madame Sousatzka is a 1988 British drama film directed by John Schlesinger, with a screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. It is based upon the novel of the same name by Bernice Rubens.-Plot synopsis:...
, Nicholas Klotz’s Bengali Night, Roland Joffe
Roland Joffé
Roland Joffé is an English-French film director who is known for his Oscar nominated movies, The Killing Fields and The Mission. He began his career in television. His early television credits included episodes of Coronation Street and an adaptation of The Stars Look Down for Granada...
’s City of Joy
City of Joy (film)
City of Joy is a 1992 film directed by Roland Joffé, with a screenplay by Mark Medoff. It is based upon the novel of the same name by Dominique Lapierre.-Plot:...
, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
’s Immaculate Conception, Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards was an American film director, screenwriter and producer.Edwards' career began in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon turned to writing radio scripts at Columbia Pictures...
' Son of the Pink Panther
Son of the Pink Panther
Son of the Pink Panther is the ninth entry in the 30-year-old The Pink Panther film series. Directed by Blake Edwards, it stars Roberto Benigni as Inspector Clouseau's illegitimate son. Also in this film are Panther regulars Herbert Lom, Burt Kwouk and Graham Stark and a star of the original 1963...
, and Ismail Merchant
Ismail Merchant
Ismail Merchant was an Indian-born film producer, best known for the results of his famously long collaboration with Merchant Ivory Productions which included director James Ivory as well as screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala...
’s In Custody
In Custody (film)
In Custody/Muhafiz is a film by Merchant Ivory Productions. It was directed by Ismail Merchant, with a screenplay by Anita Desai and Shahrukh Husain. It is based upon Desai's 1984 Booker Prize nominated novel In Custody.- Plot synopsis :...
.
- AnkurAnkur (film)Ankur is an Indian colour film of 1974. It was the first feature film directed by Shyam Benegal and the debut of Indian actors Shabana Azmi and Anant Nag...
(1974) - Laxmi - NishantNishant (film)Nishant is a 1975 Hindi crime drama film directed by Shyam Benegal, and written by noted playwright Vijay Tendulkar. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil...
(1976) - Sushila - FakiraFakiraFakira is a 1976 Hindi movie produced by N.N. Sippy and directed by C.P. Dixit. The film stars Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Asrani, Aruna Irani, Danny Denzongpa, Asit Sen, Ramesh Deo, Madan Puri and Shetty. The music is by Ravindra Jain. The film became a box office hit. The film's team of...
(1976) Geeta / Neeta C I D Police Inspector - Shatranj Ke KhiladiShatranj Ke KhiladiThe Chess Players is a genre painting of 1876 by American artist Thomas Eakins . It is a small oil on wood panel depicting Eakins' father Benjamin observing a chess match. The two players are Bertrand Gardel , an elderly French teacher, and the somewhat younger George Holmes, a painter...
(1977) - Khurshid - Amar Akbar AnthonyAmar Akbar AnthonyAmar Akbar Anthony is a 1977 Bollywood film about three brothers separated during their childhood who grew up in three homes, adopting three religions...
(1977) - Laxmi - JunoonJunoon (1978 film)The soundtrack features 4 songs, composed by Vanraj Bhatia, with original lyrics from Yogesh Praveen and other lyrics by Amir Khusro, Jigar Moradabadi and Sant Kabir.#"Khusro rain piya ki jaagi pee ke sang" – Jamil Ahmad...
(1978) - Firdaus - SwamiSwamiA swami sometimes abbreviated "Sw." is an ascetic or yogi who has been initiated into the religious monastic order founded by Adi Sankara, or to a religious teacher.The Oxford English Dictionary gives the etymology as...
(1978) - - SparshSparsh (film)Sparsh is a 1980 Bollywood feature film directed by Sai Paranjpye. It stars Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi playing the characters of a visually impaired principal and a "sighted" teacher in a School of the Blind, where both the characters fall in love with each other though soon their complexes...
(1980) - Kavita - ArthArth (film)Arth is a 1982 film directed by Mahesh Bhatt, starring Shabana Azmi, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Smita Patil, Raj Kiran and Rohini Hattangadi. It features a memorable soundtrack by Ghazal duo, Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh....
(1982) - Mrs. Pooja Inder Malhotra - MasoomMasoomMasoom is a 1983 Indian film and Shekhar Kapur's first directorial venture. The critically acclaimed film starred Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Tanuja, Supriya Pathak and Saeed Jaffrey, as well as child actors Jugal Hansraj, Aradhana and Urmila Matondkar. The screenplay and dialogues were...
(1983) - Indu D. Malhotra - MandiMandi (film)Mandi is a 1983 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal.The film is a satirical comedy on politics and prostitution, and stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil...
(1983) - Rukmini Bai - ' Shart (film)" (1986)- Kiran Dutt
- The Bengali NightThe Bengali NightThe Bengali Night is a 1988 semi-autobiographical film based upon the Mircea Eliade 1933 Romanian novel, Bengal Nights, directed by Nicolas Klotz and starring Hugh Grant and the Indian actors Soumitra Chatterjee and Shabana Azmi.-Plot summary:...
(1988) - Mrs. Sen - Madame SousatzkaMadame SousatzkaMadame Sousatzka is a 1988 British drama film directed by John Schlesinger, with a screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. It is based upon the novel of the same name by Bernice Rubens.-Plot synopsis:...
(1988) - Sushila - City of JoyCity of Joy (film)City of Joy is a 1992 film directed by Roland Joffé, with a screenplay by Mark Medoff. It is based upon the novel of the same name by Dominique Lapierre.-Plot:...
(1992) - Kamla Pal - In CustodyIn Custody (film)In Custody/Muhafiz is a film by Merchant Ivory Productions. It was directed by Ismail Merchant, with a screenplay by Anita Desai and Shahrukh Husain. It is based upon Desai's 1984 Booker Prize nominated novel In Custody.- Plot synopsis :...
(1993) - Imtiaz Begum - Son of the Pink PantherSon of the Pink PantherSon of the Pink Panther is the ninth entry in the 30-year-old The Pink Panther film series. Directed by Blake Edwards, it stars Roberto Benigni as Inspector Clouseau's illegitimate son. Also in this film are Panther regulars Herbert Lom, Burt Kwouk and Graham Stark and a star of the original 1963...
(1993) - Queen - Fire (1996) - Radha
- SaazSaaz (film)Saaz is a Hindi movie produced and directed by Sai Paranjpye and released in 1998, starring Aruna Irani and Shabana Azmi in lead roles. The plot is allegedly based on the life of legendary singing sisters of Bollywood, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle . In an interview after the release of the film...
(1997) - Bansidhar (Bansi) Vrundavan - Side StreetsSide StreetsSide Streets is a 1998 Merchant Ivory film directed by Tony Gerber.Ensemble cast included Valeria Golino, Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Miho Nikaido, Art Malik, Victor Argo, Rosario Dawson, Jennifer Esposito.-Cast:*Valeria Golino - Sylvie Otti...
(1998) - Mrs. Chandra Bipin Raj - EarthEarth (1998 film)Earth is a 1998 film directed by Deepa Mehta. It is based upon Bapsi Sidhwa's novel, Cracking India, . Earth is the second part of Mehta's Elements trilogy...
(1998) - voice of older Lenny - GodmotherGodmother (film)Godmother is a Hindi movie directed by Vinay Shukla released in 1999, and ostensibly inspired by the life of Santokben Jadeja.-Cast:* Shabana Azmi - Rambhi* Milind Gunaji - Veeram* Nirmal Pandey - Jakhra* Govind Namdeo - Kesubhai...
(1999) - Rambhi - MakdeeMakdeeMakdee , promoted as The Web Of The Witch in English, is a children's film in Hindi directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, starring Shabana Azmi, Makrand Deshpande, Shweta Prasad, and Alaap Mazgaonkar. The film tells the story of a young girl in north India and a alleged witch in a mansion...
(2002) - Makdee - TehzeebTehzeebTehzeeb may refer to*Tehzeeb from Pakistan*Tehzeeb from India...
(2003) - Rukhsana Jamal - Morning RagaMorning RagaMorning Raga is an Indian film with most of the dialogue in English, released in 2004. It was directed by Mahesh Dattani and starred Bollywood actresses Shabana Azmi and Perizad Zorabian, and Telugu actor Prakash...
(2004) - Swarnlatha - 15 Park Avenue (2005) - Anjali "Anju" Mathur
- WaterborneWaterborneWaterborne is a 2005 independent film by Indian American film maker Ben Rekhi about the fates of three different groups of people after a terrorist attack pollutes the water supply of Los Angeles, resulting in a severe water shortage. It stars Christopher Masterson, Ajay Naidu, Jake Muxworthy, Jon...
(2005) - Heera Bhatti - Umrao JaanUmrao Jaan (2006 film)Umrao Jaan is a Bollywood film about the famous courtesan of the title. Aishwarya Rai stars in the lead role. The film is directed by J.P...
(2006) - Khannum Jaan - Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. is a Bollywood movie, released on 23 February 2007. It is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani through Excel Entertainment and has marked the debut of Reema Kagti as a director. The movie has six different part in it...
(2007) - Nahid - Loins of Punjab PresentsLoins of Punjab PresentsLoins of Punjab Presents is a 2007 Indian film directed by Manish Acharya. It stars Shabana Azmi, Ayesha Dharker and Ajay Naidu. The film marked Manish Acharya's first feature film as a director.-Cast:*Shabana Azmi .... Rrita Kapoor...
(2007) - Rita Kapoor - Sorry Bhai!Sorry Bhai!Sorry Bhai is a Bollywood film starring Shabana Azmi, Boman Irani, Sanjay Suri, Sharman Joshi and Chitrangada Singh. It was directed by Onir and released on 28 November 2008...
(2008) - Mother Gayatri - It's a Wonderful AfterlifeIt's a Wonderful AfterlifeIt's a Wonderful Afterlife is a 2010 British comedy film directed by Gurinder Chadha. The screenplay centers on an Indian mother whose obsession with marrying off her daughter leads her into the realm of serial murder. It was filmed primarily in English, with some Hindi and Punjabi dialogue...
(2010) - Mrs. Sethi
National Awards
Azmi has received the National Film Award for Best ActressNational Film Award for Best Actress
The National Film Award for Best Actress is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actress who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry...
five times, making her the overall most-awarded actor in the function:
- 1975 - National Film Award for Best ActressNational Film Award for Best ActressThe National Film Award for Best Actress is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actress who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry...
, AnkurAnkurAnkur may refer to:* Ankur , a 1974 Hindustani film* Ankur , edible sprouts* Ankur Group, a community working toward supporting Bengali language on GNU/Linux operating system... - 1983 - National Film Award for Best ActressNational Film Award for Best ActressThe National Film Award for Best Actress is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actress who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry...
, ArthArth (film)Arth is a 1982 film directed by Mahesh Bhatt, starring Shabana Azmi, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Smita Patil, Raj Kiran and Rohini Hattangadi. It features a memorable soundtrack by Ghazal duo, Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh.... - 1984 - National Film Award for Best ActressNational Film Award for Best ActressThe National Film Award for Best Actress is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actress who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry...
, KhandharKhandharKhandahar is a 1984 Hindi movie directed by Mrinal Sen, based on a Bengali novel, Telenapota Abishkar by Premendra Mitra. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapoor... - 1985 - National Film Award for Best ActressNational Film Award for Best ActressThe National Film Award for Best Actress is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actress who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry...
, PaarPaar (film)Paar is a 1984 Hindi movie directed by Goutam Ghose. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri. Naseeruddin Shah won a Volpi Cup for his role as Naurangia.- Plot :... - 1999 - National Film Award for Best ActressNational Film Award for Best ActressThe National Film Award for Best Actress is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actress who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry...
, GodmotherGodmother (film)Godmother is a Hindi movie directed by Vinay Shukla released in 1999, and ostensibly inspired by the life of Santokben Jadeja.-Cast:* Shabana Azmi - Rambhi* Milind Gunaji - Veeram* Nirmal Pandey - Jakhra* Govind Namdeo - Kesubhai...
Filmfare Awards
Winner:- 1978 - Filmfare Best Actress AwardFilmfare Best Actress AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
for Swami - 1984 - Filmfare Best Actress AwardFilmfare Best Actress AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
for ArthArthArth is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Arth has an area, , of . Of this area, 40.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 46.3% is forested... - 1985 - Filmfare Best Actress AwardFilmfare Best Actress AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
for BhavnaBhavnaBhavna is a 1984 Hindi film directed by Pravin Bhatt. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Marc Zuber, Saeed Jaffrey, Rohini Hattangadi, Kanwaljeet Singh, Satish Shah and Urmila Matondkar. The film's music is by Bappi Lahiri.... - 2006 - Filmfare Lifetime Achievement AwardFilmfare Lifetime Achievement AwardThe Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, initially named Raj Kapoor Award for Lifetime Achievement after Raj Kapoor is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films....
Nominated:
- 1975 - Filmfare Best Actress AwardFilmfare Best Actress AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
for AnkurAnkurAnkur may refer to:* Ankur , a 1974 Hindustani film* Ankur , edible sprouts* Ankur Group, a community working toward supporting Bengali language on GNU/Linux operating system... - 1981 - Filmfare Best Actress AwardFilmfare Best Actress AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
for Thodisi BewafaiiThodisi BewafaiiThodisi Bewafaii is a 1980 Hindi movie written and directed by Esmayeel Shroff. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Shabana Azmi and Padmini Kohlapure. The music is by Khayyam.-Plot:... - 1984 - Filmfare Best Actress AwardFilmfare Best Actress AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
for MasoomMasoomMasoom is a 1983 Indian film and Shekhar Kapur's first directorial venture. The critically acclaimed film starred Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Tanuja, Supriya Pathak and Saeed Jaffrey, as well as child actors Jugal Hansraj, Aradhana and Urmila Matondkar. The screenplay and dialogues were... - 1984 - Filmfare Best Actress AwardFilmfare Best Actress AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
for AvtaarAvtaarAvtaar is a 1983 movie starring Rajesh Khanna and Shabana Azmi. It was directed by Mohan Kumar, and the music was by Laxmikant Pyarelal.Rajesh Khanna did achieve success from Amardeep and Prem Bandhan onwards but this was Rajesh Khanna's biggest hit film in terms of box office collections after... - 1984 - Filmfare Best Actress AwardFilmfare Best Actress AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
for MandiMandi (film)Mandi is a 1983 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal.The film is a satirical comedy on politics and prostitution, and stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil... - 1985 - Filmfare Best Actress AwardFilmfare Best Actress AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
for SparshSparsh (film)Sparsh is a 1980 Bollywood feature film directed by Sai Paranjpye. It stars Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi playing the characters of a visually impaired principal and a "sighted" teacher in a School of the Blind, where both the characters fall in love with each other though soon their complexes... - 2003 - Filmfare Best Villain AwardFilmfare Best Villain AwardThe Filmfare Best Villain Award was given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise an actor who had delivered an outstanding performance in a negative role...
for MakdeeMakdeeMakdee , promoted as The Web Of The Witch in English, is a children's film in Hindi directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, starring Shabana Azmi, Makrand Deshpande, Shweta Prasad, and Alaap Mazgaonkar. The film tells the story of a young girl in north India and a alleged witch in a mansion... - 2004 - Filmfare Best Supporting Actress AwardFilmfare Best Supporting Actress AwardThe Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Awards is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role...
for TehzeebTehzeebTehzeeb may refer to*Tehzeeb from Pakistan*Tehzeeb from India...
International awards
- 1993: Best Actress award for LibaasLibaasLibaas is a 1988 Hindi film directed by Gulzar. The film is about married couples of urban India having extramarital relations and adultery. The subject of the film was considered to be bold in its time and was objectionable to be shown publicly and was banned by the Censor Board of India...
in North Korea - 1994: Best Actress award for Gautam GhoseGautam GhoseGoutam Ghose is one of the most acclaimed film directors of modern India. Born in Calcutta. Graduated from Calcutta University....
’s Patang at the Taormina Arte Festival in Italy - 1996: Silver Hugo Award for Best ActressSilver Hugo Award for Best ActressThe Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress is one of awards presented annually by the Chicago International Film Festival to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance. The jury chooses the winner from the movies competing at the festival. It was first awarded in 1967.-List of...
for Fire at the Chicago International Film FestivalChicago International Film FestivalThe Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America.... - 1996: Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film, for Fire in L.A. OutfestOutfestOutfest is an LGBT-oriented film showcase and festival in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1982 as the "Gay and Lesbian Media Festival and Conference", the name was changed to Outfest in 1994.-Programs:...
Other awards
- Azmi won the award for Best Actress (Hindi) at the Bengal Film Journalists' Association AwardsBengal Film Journalists' Association AwardsThe Bengal Film Journalists' Association is the oldest Association of Film critics in India, founded in 1937, by the inspiration and determination of the handful of pioneers amongst the then thin section of scribes that were drawn to film journalism with a lofty mission to serve the developing...
(BFJA) for Ankur in 1975, Paar in 1984, Ek Pal in 1987, and Godmother in 1999. She won the Best Supporting Actress (Hindi) award for Tehzeeb in 2003. - 1998: Star Screen Award Best Supporting ActressStar Screen Award Best Supporting ActressThe Star Screen Award Best Supporting Actress is chosen via a distinguished panel of judges from the film industry of India. The winners are announced in January....
for MrityudandMrityudandMrityudand is an Indian Hindi movie released in 1997. It was directed and produced by Prakash Jha and stars Madhuri Dixit, Shabana Azmi, Ayub Khan, Mohan Agashe and Om Puri....
. - 2004: Zee Cine Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role- FemaleZee Cine Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role- FemaleThe Zee Cine Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role- Female is chosen by the viewers and the winner is announced at the actual ceremony.The award is given in March but the actress who wins it is awarded for her work from a movie released in the previous year from January 1 to December 31.Sushmita...
for TehzeebTehzeebTehzeeb may refer to*Tehzeeb from Pakistan*Tehzeeb from India...
. - 2005: Star Screen AwardsStar Screen AwardsThe Star Screen Awards is an annual awards ceremony in India honoring professional excellence in film. The nomination and award selection is done by a panel of distinguished professional from the industry itself.- History :...
- Best Performance in an Indian Film in English for Morning RagaMorning RagaMorning Raga is an Indian film with most of the dialogue in English, released in 2004. It was directed by Mahesh Dattani and starred Bollywood actresses Shabana Azmi and Perizad Zorabian, and Telugu actor Prakash...
Honours and recognitions
- 1988: Awarded the Padma ShriPadma ShriPadma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
from the government of IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - 1988: Yash Bhartiya Award by the Government of Uttar Pradesh for highlighting women’s issues in her work as an actress and activist.
- 1994: Rajiv Gandhi Award for "Excellence of Secularism"
- 1999: Mumbai Academy of the Moving ImageMumbai Academy of the Moving ImageThe Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image is a public trust that organizes annual International Film Festival in Mumbai known as the Mumbai Film Festival...
, Significant Contribution to Indian Cinema. - 2002: Martin Luther King Professorship award by the University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
conferred on her in recognition of her contribution to arts, culture and society. - 2006: Gandhi International Peace Award, awarded by Gandhi FoundationGandhi FoundationThe Gandhi Foundation is a United Kingdom-based voluntary organisation which seeks to further the work of Mahatma Gandhi through a variety of educational events and activities.- History :...
, London. - 2007: She was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Art by Chancellor of the University Brandan Foster by the Leeds Metropolitan UniversityLeeds Metropolitan UniversityLeeds Metropolitan University is a British University with three campuses. Two are situated in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England while the third is situated in Bhopal, India...
in YorkshireYorkshireYorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform... - 2009: She was honoured with the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award
External links
- Shabana Azmi NGO in India
- One on One - Shabana Azmi - interview on Al Jazeera English (video, 25 mins)
- Time: Shabana Azmi
- Indian American Arts Council
- Article from the Village Voice
- EveryOne campaign brand ambassador: Shabana Azmi
- Shabana Azmi on Twitter