| Shabana Azmi Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 6 in |
| Weight | 75 kg |
| Date of Birth | September 18, 1950 |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Spouse | Javed Akhtar |
Shabana Azmi is an award-winning Indian actress best known for her work in commercial and art-house films like Arth (1982), Masoom (1983), Fire (1996), and Neerja (2016). She became a dominant figure in the ‘Parallel Cinema’ movement after working with directors like Satyajit Ray, Shyam Benegal, and Aparna Sen in the 1970s and 1980s. Shabana has more than 50k followers on Instagram and more than 3.5 million followers on Twitter.
Born Name
Shabana Kaifi Azmi
Nick Name
Shabana
Sun Sign
Virgo
Born Place
Hyderabad, Hyderabad State (now Telangana), India
Residence
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality
Education
Shabana studied at the Queen Mary School in Mumbai. She attended St Xavier’s College and graduated with a degree in Psychology.
She studied acting at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune and graduated in 1973.
Occupation
Actress, Social Activist
Family
- Father – Kaifi Azmi (Urdu Poet)
- Mother – Shaukat Kaifi (Stage Actress)
- Siblings – Baba Azmi (Younger Brother) (Cameraman, Cinematographer)
- Others – Tanvi Azmi (Sister-in-law) (Actress), Tabu (Niece) (Actress), Farah Naaz (Niece) (Actress)
Build
Average
Height
5 ft 6 in or 167.5 cm
Weight
75 kg or 165.5 lbs
Boyfriend / Spouse
Shabana Azmi has dated –
- Uday Chandra
- Benjamin Gilani (1974) – In 1974, Shabana got engaged to actor Benjamin Gilani but they broke up soon after.
- Shekhar Kapur – Director Shekhar Kapur and the young actress dated in the late 1970s and even moved in together. However, they called it quits after 7 years.
- Boney Kapoor
- Javed Akhtar (Mid-1970s-Present) – The Sholay screenwriter Javed Akhtar got married to Shabana on December 9, 1984, despite her parents against her decision to get married to Javed. They initially started going out in the mid-1970s. The couple does not have any kids together but Shabana has been involved in the lives of Zoya Akhtar and Farhan Akhtar, Javed’s kids from his first marriage to Honey Irani.
Race / Ethnicity
Asian (Indian)
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Bright smile
- Sparkling eyes
- Tiny mole on her chin
Brand Endorsements
Shabana has endorsed the following brands –
- Nasaka Water Purifier (2011)
- TeachAIDS
Religion
Atheism
Shabana Azmi Favorite Things
- Music Band – The Beatles
- Actor – Rajesh Khanna
- Cult Film – Gone With The Wind (1939)
- Character Played By Her – Amrita in the play Tumhari Amrita
- Food – Biryani
- Co-Star – Rajesh Khanna
- Poem By Javed Akhtar – Aansoo
- Book – Saare Sukhan Humare by Faiz Ahmad Faiz
- Poet – Faiz Ahmad Faiz (Pakistani)
Source – TheQuint.com, IMDb, Hindustan Times, Scroll.in
Shabana Azmi Facts
- She decided to pursue a career in acting after watching Jaya Bhaduri’s performance in a Diploma film called Suman.
- As of 2019, she has received 5 National Film Awards for ‘Best Actress’ for her performances in Ankur (1974), Arth (1982), Khandhar (1984), Paar (1984), and Godmother (1999).
- Her acting credits include more than 150 films in languages as varied as Hindi, Bengali, and English.
- In 2000, Azmi famously shaved her head for a role in Deepa Mehta’s film Water. However, due to controversies and political pressure, the shooting was canceled soon after.
- Shabana was awarded the 4th highest civilian honor, a Padma Shri, in 1988.
- In June 2021, she was cheated by an alcohol delivery scam.
- In February 2022, it was revealed that Shabana had been tested positive for COVID-19.
Featured Image by Bill William Compton / Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 2.0
