Happy Birthday Shabana Azmi: Glance at her best films

With five National Awards, four international awards, the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, veteran actress Shabana Azmi truly ruled the Indian celluloid with so-called parallel movies in the 1970s-80s. In an era when song and dance defined entertainment, Shabana Azmi was powered by socially relevant content and realistic storytelling. Taking up bold subjects and opting to step out of her comfort zone, the leading lady of parallel Indian cinema in the nation preferred to experiment with her roles in a career spanning around five decades. Keeping her acting prowess in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Shabana Azmi, who debuted in 1974 with Ankur, which also marked stalwart filmmaker Shyam Benegal’s directorial debut, is the only actor to hold five National awards to her credit, which is the maximum ever. As the actress celebrates her 72nd birthday today, 18 September, let’s take a look at her fine work in the Indian film industry:

Arth

In this 1982 critically acclaimed movie, Shabana Azmi gracefully essays the role of a deeply wounded and humiliated wife of an unfaithful husband. The Mahesh Bhatt directorial also features Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Smita Patil. Even after generations, Arth’s ghazal Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho lends a melancholy feeling.

Mandi

The on-screen magic created by the collaboration of Shyam Benegal and Shabana Azmi is honestly hard to overlook. Essaying a self-seeking, unrefined woman running a brothel and rising above the wrath of the existing moral police, Shabana Azmi will blow your mind with her racy audacity and spunky Hyderabadi accent in this 1983 film.

Fire

Considered one of the most controversial roles by Shabana Azmi to date, Fire is the first mainstream Bollywood film to explicitly show homosexual relations on-screen. Inviting the ire of several groups, Shabana Azmi plays an initially submissive and lonely housewife, who later explores her sexuality in a socially forbidden way.

Makdee

Appearing in a never seen before avatar, Shabana Azmi plays the role of a hideous-looking witch, who is hunting down kids. The terrifying and intimidating children’s film received compliments galore.

15 Park Avenue

Exploring the topic of schizophrenia, the National Award-winning movie 15 Park Avenue is deep and dark. Apart from Shaban Azmi, the 2005 film features Konkona Sen Sharma, Rahul Bose, Shefali Shah, and Waheeda Rehman in prominent roles.

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.