Shabana Azmi was born on 18th September 1950 in Delhi. She is daughter of poet and Urdu writer Kaifi Azmi and stage heroin Shaukat Azmi. Baba Azmi is her brother who is a cinematographer. She took degree in Psychology from the St. Xavier’s College and acting course from FTII, Pune.
At the starting of her career she was emotionally attached with Shekhar Kapoor (Film Director) but got married with famous poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar on 9th December 1984. This was Javed Akhtar’s second marriage.
Shyam Benegal gave her first chance in the Bollywood with the film “Ankur” released in 1972. She won National Award for this film. Shabana made her first art film named “Faalsa” directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and film was released on 1974. She continuously got three National Awards for the films named as “Arth”, “Khandhar” and the “Paar”. Her film “Godmother” in 1999 also becomes much hit.
During 1980s, she performed many films. Some of her hit films were “Swami” released in 1977, Apne Paraye in 1980, “Masoom” in 1983, “Khamosh” in 1985, “Krishna” in 1987, “Ek Admi” in 1988 and the film “Disha” released in 1990. She got many Filmfare Awards and made image as talented and responsible actress.
Shabana performed near about 100 Hindi films which were normal as well as art films. Most of her films were international. Her films which got international approval were “Madame” directed by John Schlesinger, “Bengali Night” directed by Nicholas Klotz, “City of Joy” directed by Roland Joffe, and many more.
National Film Awards Received By By Shabana Azmi
- 1975 National Film Award for Best Actress Ankur Won First National Award
- 1983 National Film Award for Best Actress Arth Won
- 1984 National Film Award for Best Actress Khandhar Won
- 1985 National Film Award for Best Actress Paar Won
- 1999 National Film Award for Best Actress Godmother Won
Films Done By Shabana Azmi
- 1974 Ankur Laxmi Winner, National Film Award for Best Actress
- 1974 Faslah Asha Premchand
- 1974 Ishq Ishq Ishq Pammy
- 1975 Nishant Sushila (Schoolmaster’s wife)
- 1976 Fakira Neeta/Geeta
- 1977 Shatranj Ke Khiladi Khurshid
- 1977 Adha Din Adhi Raat
- 1978 Atithee Leela M. Kumar/Julie
- 1979 Lahu Ke Do Rang Roma
- 1979 Amar Deep Radha
- 1980 Hum Paanch Sundariya
- 1981 Shama Shama
- 1982 Arth Pooja Inder Malhotra Winner, National Film Award for Best Actress and
- Filmfare Best Actress Award
- 1983 Doosri Dulhan
- 1984 Bhavna Bhavna Saxena Winner, Filmfare Best Actress Award
- 1985 Rahi Badal Gaye Bhavna
- 1986 Nasihat
- 1986Genesis The woman
- 1986 Shart Kiran Dutt
- 1986Anjuman Anjuman
- 1986 Ek Pal Priyam
- 1986 Samay Ki Dharaa Madhvi A. Verma/Madhvi V. Kapoor
- 1987 Itihaas Sunaina
- 1987 Susman Gauramma
- 1988 Madame Sousatzka Sushila Sen
- 1989 Ek Din Achanak Neeta
- 1990 Amba
- 1991 Jhoothi Shaan Krishna
- 1992 City of Joy Kamla H. Pal
- 1993 Son of the Pink Panther Queen
- 1994 Patang Jitni
- 1996 Fire Radha
- 1997 Mrityudand Chandravati
- 1997Saaz Bansidhar (Bansi) Vrundavan
- 1998 Earth Older Lenny
- 1999 Godmother Rambhi Winner, National Film Award for Best Actress
- 2000 Gaja Gamini Premchand’s Nirmala
- 2000 Hari-Bhari: Fertility Ghazala
- 2001 Daughters of This Century Kadambini
- 2002 Makdee Makdee, the witch
- 2003 Tehzeeb Rukhsana Jamal
- 2004 Morning Raga Swarnlatha
- 2005 15 Park Avenue Anjali “Anju” Mathur
- 2005Waterborne Heera Bhatti
- 2006 Umrao Jaan Khanum Sahib
- 2007 Positive Mrs.Soni Short film
- 20108 Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. Nahid
- 2008 Sorry Bhai! Mother Gayatri
- 2009 Luck by Chance Herself Special appearance
- 2010 It’s a Wonderful Afterlife Mrs Sethi
- 2011 A Decent Arrangement Preeti Mehta
- 2012 Midnight’s Children Naseem
- 2013 Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola Chaudhary Devi
- 2013The Reluctant Fundamentalist Ammi
- 2015 Jazbaa Garima
- 2016 Neerja Rama Bhanot Winner, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
- 2017 Chalk n Duster Teacher Vidya
- 2017 Sonata Bengali Widow
- 2017 Signature Move Parveen
- 2017 The Wishing Tree Tree Goddess
- 2017 The Black Prince Maharani Jind Kaur
- 2019 Sheer Qorma