Shabana Azmi (born September 18, 1950) is an Indian film, television, and theater actor. Azmi, one of India’s most recognized actors, is noted for portraying diverse, sometimes unorthodox female roles in a variety of genres. She earned a record five National Film Awards for Best Actress, as well as five Filmfare Awards and other foreign honors.
Quick Facts
| Real Name | Shabana Kaifi Azmi |
| Nickname | Coco |
| Profession | Actress, Social Activist |
| Date of Birth (Age) | 18 September 1950 |
| Birthplace | Hyderabad, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Zodiac sign/Sun sign | Virgo |
| Caste | Not Available |
| Hometown | Mumbai, India |
| Religion | Islam |
| Marital status | Married |
| Debut | Ankur (1974) |
Shabana Azmi Biography
Shabana Azmi was born on September 18, 1950 in Hyderabad, India. Actress well recognized for her work in Indian television, cinema, and theater. She is widely recognized as one of India’s best performers, and in 1999, she earned a record-breaking fifth National Film Award for Best Actress. She made her feature film début in Ankur, which was also directed by Shyam Benegal. She graduated from St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai, India, with a master’s degree in psychology. Following her stay there, she applied to the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune in 1972 and was accepted. In 1973, she finished their one-year rigorous acting school.
Shabana Azmi Height, Weight
Shabana Azmi’s Height is 168 cm (5′ 6″ in inches). Shabana Azmi weighs 65 kg (143 lbs). Shabana Azmi’s physical measurements are Bra-35 B, Waist-26 Inches, Hip-35 Inches, and her dress size is 4 (US) and shoe size is 8. (US). Shabana Azmi’s eyes are black, and her hair is black.
Career
Azmi graduated from the FTII in 1973 and started work on Khwaja Ahmad Abbas’ Faasla as well as Kanti Lal Rathod’s Parinay. Ankur, Shyam Benegal’s directorial debut, was her maiden release (1974). Ankur is a neo-realistic film that belongs to the art-house genre. It is based on a genuine tale that happened in Hyderabad. Azmi portrayed Lakshmi, a married servant and peasant who becomes involved with a college student who visits the countryside. Azmi was not the initial option for the role, and numerous leading ladies at the time declined. The film went on to become a critical and commercial success, and Azmi was nominated for a National Film Award for Best Actress for her portrayal.
She went on to win the National Film Award three years in a row, from 1983 to 1985, for her parts in Arth, Khandhar, and Paar. Her fifth National Film Award, for Godmother (1999), brought her total to five. Azmi’s acting has been distinguished by a realistic portrayal of the parts she has done. She worked as a whorehouse madam in Mandi. She gained weight and even chewed betel for this part. Almost all of her films continued to depict real-life events. In Khandhar, she played a lady called Jamini who was resigned to her fate, while in Masoom, she played a normal urban Indian wife, housewife, and mother.
She mostly appeared in experimental and parallel Indian films. Deepa Mehta’s 1996 film Fire portrays her as Radha, a lonely lady in love with her sister-in-law. The representation of lesbianism on film (perhaps the first in Indian cinema) provoked strong criticism and threats from several social groups, as well as from Indian authorities. Her performance as Radha earned her the Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress at the 32nd Chicago Film Festival and the Jury Award for Best Actress at Outfest in Los Angeles. She was the first pick for Deepa Mehta’s Water, which was set to be released in 2000. A few sequences have already been filmed. To play Shakuntala, Azmi had to shave her head with Nandita Das. Due to political concerns, the film was halted and reshot in 2005 with Seema Biswas replacing Azmi.
Shabana Azmi’s Net Worth in 2023
According to Wikipedia, Forbes, IMDb, and other online sources, Shabana Azmi’s net worth is between $1 and $5 million at the age of 72. She made money as a professional movie actress. She is originally from India.
Shabana Azmi’s Husband, Marriage
Azmi was engaged to Benjamin Gilani in the late 1970s, but the marriage was dissolved. Later, on December 9, 1984, she married Javed Akhtar, a lyricist, poet, and scriptwriter in Hindi films, becoming a member of the Akhtar-Azmi film family. It was Javed Akhtar’s second marriage, the first being with Honey Irani, another Hindi film scriptwriter. Azmi’s parents, on the other hand, were against her dating a married man with two children. Farah Naaz and Tabu are her nieces, and Tanvi Azmi is her sister-in-law.
