Shabana Azami Biography
Shabana Azmi is a film actress and a social activist. 
Shabana Azmi She is very active in fighting AIDS and injustice in real life. This has also been reflected in the roles she played in the films. The Time Magazine has described her as: "an outspoken secular hero espousing tolerance in a state driven by religious conflict" in 2002. Once she said, "I am a daughter, a wife, a mother, a woman, an actress, an Indian, and a Muslim. Each of those identities is important to me." Health, particularly women's health, is a major concern for her.
Family details of Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi with husband Javed Akhtar Birth: 18 September 1951 at New Delhi, India.
Father: Kaifi Azmi, a renowned Indian poet and writer of Urdu.
Mother: Shaukat, a well known stage actress.
Brother: Baba Azmi, a cinematographer.
Marriage: with Javed Akhtar (famous Bollywood lyricist, poet and scriptwriter) on 9th December 1984. Javed Akhtar first married Honey Irani.
Education of Shabana Azmi
Graduation degree in Psychology from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai
Acting Cource at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.
Shabana Azmi as an Actress
Shabana Azmi's first film was an art film, Faalsa, but the first released movie was Shyam Benegal’s Ankur (1972).
Since then she has played very powerful roles in films such as 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 Guussa Kyon Aata Hai; Sai Paranjpye’s Sparsh and Disha; Aparna Sen’s Picnic and Sati; Gautam Ghose’ Paar; Mahesh Bhatt’s Arth; John Schlesinger’s Madame Sousatzka (1988), Roland Joffe’s City of Joy (1992); and Manmohan Desai's Parvarish.
Shabana is playing the role of "Khaanum Jaan" in the re-make film, Umrao Jaan, directed by J.P. Dutta. This role was played by her mother in the original film. She is also acting in a BBC film "Banglatown Banquet". Shabana Azami his associated with another Indo-U.K. production "Waterborne" that focuses on racial discrimination.
With 15 Park Avenue's release, Shabana has left a mark in yet another new-age film.
Shabana Azmi in film "Water" & Controversy
Shabana Azmi & Nandita Das in Film Water Shabana was playing an important role in Deepa Mehta's film Water. But she left this film after fundamentalists objected to the depiction of the widows of Vrindavan in this film. "We decided to walk out of the film, though it was painful for us, so that Deepa could complete it," said Shabana Azami.
Awards & Honors won by Shabana Azmi
- National Film Award for Best Actress five times.
- Awarded Padma Shree In 1988.
- Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund In 1998.
- Rajiv Gandhi Award for “Excellence of Secularism” in 1994.
- Government of Uttar Pradesh's Yash Bhartiya Award in 1988.
- Best Actress International Award for Gulzar’s “Libaas” in North Korea in 1993.
- Best Actress International Award for Gautam Ghose’s “Patang” at the Taormina Arte Festival in Italy in 1994.
- Best Actress International Award Deepa Metha’s “Fire” at the Chicago International Film Festival in 1996.
- Member of the National Integration Council headed by the Prime Minister of India : since 1989.
- Member of National AIDS Commission.
- Member of the Rajya Sabha in 1997.
- Martin Luther King Professorship award conferred by Michigan University in 2002.
- International prize for her work in human rights along with Nobel peace prize winner Rigober Tamenchu and Mother Teresa. The award was given by former French President late Francois Mitterand.
- International prize at the Davos World Economic Summit for artistic contribution for social justice in January 2006.
- Gandhi International Peace Prize: Shabana Azmi has become the first Indian to be felicitated with the Gandhi International Peace Prize to be presented at the House of Lords in the British Parliament on 26th October 2006. She will deliver the annual memorial lecture at the House of Commons in the British Parliament.
