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Happy Birthday Shabana Azmi: 7 memorable quotes of the actress you can't afford to miss!

Legendary actress Shabana Azmi turns 67 today

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Born to talented parents poet, Kaifi Azmi and actress Shauqat Kazmi, Shabana has carved her own niche in tinsletown.

This FTII Pune graduate proved to be no run-of-the-mill actress right from her debut film 'Ankur' in 1971. She along with Smita Patil became the poster girl for parallel cinema movement and shined bright in characters of strong women who were closer to reality and not just a glamorous face at the movies.

The loneliness of a wife who finds out about her husband's affair in 'Arth' or a happily married woman whose maternal feelings for her husband's illegitimate son wipes out her pain in 'Masoom', Shabana Azmi was filmmaker's first choice for layered and complex female characters dealing with real issues. She even dared to play A lesbian lover in Deepa Mehta's Fire and shaved off her head for Water too (the role was eventually played by Seema Biswas)

With more than hundred films to her credit in Indian as well as International cinema, Shabana Azmi continues to inspire current generation with her film lineage and social work. As the talented actress turns 67 today, here's a look at seven of her most memorable and honest quotes of the actress.

"I feel my career is all about being at the right place at the right time. When I came the parallel cinema movement just happened. If I hadn't got those opportunities then my talent would have just been a closely guarded secret that no one knew about."

"Mahesh Bhatt's Arth remains the biggest milestone in my career. I continue to meet women who say that it was a transformative experience for them and gave them tremendous strength.


 "Smita and I could never be friends. The rivalry between us, some of it manufactured by the media and some of it real, caused tension. I have said it before...and I do it today...that I have been guilty about making uncharitable remarks about her. I regret it. There were efforts of reconciliation and we were able to maintain civility, but we were never able to turn into friendship. But at no point it had spilled over to our families" 

 “After Meryl spoke out she got the wholehearted support of the entire Hollywood fraternity. In India, no one will speak up in support of a celebrity’s political stand for the fear of a backlash. There is no chance that Meryl’s  films will be boycotted or theatres burned down when her next film is released because freedom of expression is respected there. Here we all know what happens.”

 “A pact was made between the government and 12 producers that I would be restrained from speaking on the Babri Masjid issue. My film Dharavi was pulled off the theatres, screens showing Fire were vandalised. Nandita Das and I were removed from Water after we had shaved off our heads.”


"I think for women centred films to become even more viable, and be able to expand their budget, it's time the big male stars also once in a while work in a role that is secondary as compared to the girl. This is something we need to encourage." 

Happy Birthday Shabana Azmi. Continue inspiring us

 

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