Recipient Of 5 National Awards, Actress Shabana Azmi Turns 69, Here's What Makes Her A Formidable Force In Bollywood

Actress Shabana Azmi is one of the most celebrated actors of her times. She had this unmatched capability to transform herself completely into the character she is playing! She has been a part of diverse roles in Hindi cinema. She is still an active part of the industry. Besides being an actress, Shabana also involves herself in various social activities with equal gusto.

She is the wife of lyricist and film writer Javed Akhtar. She is the daughter of the inimitable Kaifi Azmi. He was one of the most prolific poets of his times (Shayar). Her mother is Shaukat Kaifi who was a celebrated theatre artist and she is known for her portrayal of Khanum Jaan in the 1981 Muzzafar Ali classic Umrao Jaan Ada that starred Rekha in the lead role.

Shabana was a gifted actor thanks to the acting prowess of her mother and she was almost an instant success in the movies. She was a student of Queen Mary School in Mumbai and is a psychology graduate from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Thereafter she was trained in acting from the Film and Television Institute of Pune.

An already married Javed Akhtar fell in love with Shabana and that is when he divorced his the then-wife, Honey Irani and tied the knot with Azmi. She started off her career in film with Shyam Benegal’s critically acclaimed film Ankur. And for her very first film, she received the prestigious National award. Then there was no looking back. Right from 1983 to 1985, she went on the win the covetous National Award for three consecutive years. Arth, Khandar and Paar were the three films for which she won the National award. Even in that era, Shabana managed to steer clear of the glamourous roles and carve a niche for herself. Be it Arth, Nishant, Ankur, Sparsh, Mandi, Massom Or Pestonji, Shabana impressed one and all with her terrific acting skills.

On the other hand, she was also part of commercial potboilers like Amar Akbar Anthony, Main Azaad Hu, Parvarish which also went on to garner praises for her from the mass. In this way her films catered to both the class and the mass!

In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to state that her name will always feature in the list of the most successful actresses of all time!

We at Desimartini.com wish Shabana a very happy birthday!