Written by Farhana Farook
Nothing’s conventional about Shabana Azmi – right from the rich tapestry of her childhood, courtesy Leftist parents and artistes Shaukat and Kaifi Azmi. Poets and philosophers, rebels and romantics, their home hosted a mélange of influences that shaped Shabana’s sense and sensibilities.
As an actor, she front-lined parallel cinema in the ’70s. Sans formulaic frills and fuss, her characters were real, resolute, and resilient. An earthy muse to filmmakers whose resource was life, Shabana’s subsequent crossover to mainstream cinema was as authentic. From Ankur to the recent Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani and the American sci-fi series Halo (2022–2024) she’s been a player for all seasons, the world being her stage.
In the personal territory too, she broke convention when she married noted poet/writer Javed Akhtar. While she’s flattered that the song “Kathai aankhon wali ikk ladki” (Duplicate) was written by Akhtar keeping her in mind, Shabana maintains that romance is the first to flee in a marriage. And that respect and friendship oar the boat along.
Shabana Azmi wishes to continue her rendezvous with life, energized by a curiosity to love more and learn more. (Photo: Express Archives)
A crusader for women, she confides that while being unable to bear a child can be distressing, she reinstates that self-worth should come from a woman’s work and creativity rather than delivering to societal expectations. Someone synonymous with strength, Shabana embraces vulnerability. “Nobody is invincible. And it’s vulnerability that makes you human,” she believes. On her birthday, Shabana Azmi wishes to continue her rendezvous with life, energized by a curiosity to love and learn more.
ALSO READ | Shabana Azmi: The ‘hypersensitive’ child who sold coffee at petrol pumps, went on to win 5 National Awards
Excerpts:
When did you realize that you were born for the camera?
Becoming a doctor or an engineer could never have been my goal. I used to act on stage all through school. While studying at St Xavier’s College, the late Farooq Shaikh, my senior by two years, and I founded the Hindi Natya Manch. Those days the college only had an English theatre group and the famous Sangeet Mandal. The money for the production was largely contributed by Farooq. My best friend Parna’s house was close to Tejpal Auditorium where most of the inter-collegiate drama competitions were held. We would empty her flat of the furniture to fill up our sets. Inevitably, we’d win the Best Actor/Best Actress awards. But it was not until I started shooting for Shyam Benegal’s Ankur (1974) that I realized acting was what I enjoyed the most.
In a world, where bouffants and fluttering eyelashes defined beauty, you gave sex appeal a new idiom with authenticity and agency.
In my mind, I didn’t measure up to the standard of what was expected of a mainstream heroine. When I attended the Berlin International Film Festival in 1974 (Ankur screened at the event), I was called ‘beautiful’, ‘sensuous’. I’d wonder whom they were talking about. I guess the gaze in the West differs from mainstream Hindi cinema’s idea of what a heroine should look like. I have to thank Shyam Benegal. Had it not been for him, my career would have gone on a different trajectory.
‘Osmosis’ is a term you often use to describe an actor’s merging with the protagonist’s world. Amongst the spectrum of characters you played, which came closest to you?
It would be Anu in Aparna Sen’s 15 Park Avenue (2005). Anu, aka Anjali, is a professor, juggling her roles as a career woman and a caregiver without self-pity. She is both like Aparna and me.
Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi tied the knot in 1984. (Photo: Shabana Azmi/Instagram)
In the personal realm, your marriage to Javed Akhtar is as much about togetherness as about space. What’s non-negotiable for you in a relationship?
Respect! Though you can’t demand respect, you have to earn it. Love keeps changing. Romance is the first thing that disappears with marriage. But you have to keep working at it – it’s a process of constant adjustment. Togetherness, friendship, interest in each other, and giving space to your partner is paramount. That can only stem from respect.
Your candid confession of not being disheartened about being unable to have children is uplifting for women, prone to self-blame in such a situation. What would be your message for them?
It’s tough coming to terms with the fact that you can’t bear children. Society makes you feel incomplete. You have to work hard to pull yourself out of that. But your ultimate sense of self must come from your work. Women often measure self-worth from their relationships – how they hold up as a wife, mother daughter… For a man that’s not the criterion of success – rather it’s his career, his work that gives him the greatest satisfaction. I believe that should apply to all genders.
When I asked my mother (late actor Shaukat Azmi), who was an excellent housekeeper, wife… what was the most fulfilling of all her roles, her answer left me surprised. She said her work and appreciation for it gave her primary satisfaction. Women have to overcome patriarchal expectations. It doesn’t mean turning up your nose to duty but making it more inclusive so that your partner also respects it.
What’s the best you’ve inherited from your parents, Shaukat and Kaifi Azmi?
Respect for our composite culture, adherence to secular values, gender equality… were all a given. My parents taught my brother Baba (Azmi, cinematographer/filmmaker) and me by example and not by sermonizing. They enjoyed an amazing comradeship and encouraged youngsters with talent. I’d like to believe that I’ve imbibed some of those values. I’m grateful to my parents for giving me a head start in life. Money is important to lubricate life to make it easier. But it was never a goal in itself.
For a woman, whose middle name is strength, have you ever felt vulnerable?
All the time! It’s essential for an artiste. Nobody is invincible. And it’s vulnerability that makes you human.
Shabana Azmi turns 74. (Shabana Azmi/Instagram)
Do comparisons to Meryl Streep, given your oeuvre and allegiance to causes, flatter you?
I admire her a lot. I come nowhere near her as an actor. But I guess the West is clueless about our cinema. So it’s just a reference.
Reflecting on your birthday… any dreams still seeking completion?
Well, I’d like to do more of the same thing. Be a better actor, work for women with greater impact, and be a reliable friend. I want to stay connected to life itself. No one bores me. I’m curious to the point of being inquisitive. Happiness can’t be a pursuit in itself. There are different people and situations that are fulfilling. Happiness is a result of that.
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