Shabana Azmi

“There was a film which I did many, many, many years ago which took 14 years to make. Fourteen years. It was a film called 'Oonch Neech Beech' and in one shot, Shashi Kapoor goes out for a jog and when he reaches, he is 40 kilos heavier!”

“In 1986, I had gone on a hunger strike with Anand Patwardhan rooting for an alternative land for slum dwellers. My mother got very nervous and told my father to tell me that, 'what am I doing?' He sent me a telegram that read: 'Best of luck, comrade!'”

“Im hoping that for film actors there is this kind of emotional trigger on any subject. It need not be only slums. It can be anything. But even if it is tentative, sooner or later, it will - by its sheer force - engulf you in a way where you make a commitment and you get involved in it, beyond just making it an image-building exercise.”

“I'm not saying a housewife is in any way inferior to a workingwoman. No, she isn't. But as an activist, as a woman, I would say the choice of being a housewife or pursuing a career should be left entirely to the woman and that choice should be respected.”

“For me, be it 'Arth' or 'Libaas' or 'Masoom,' there has always been space to break stereotypes or social constructs and perform beyond the norm. It happened all through my career and I am happy it did.”

“My fingers are always in every single pie.”

“Unfortunately, the Hindi film industry is a sitting duck; it is easy to hurl malevolent accusations. It is a systematic campaign to divert attention from real issues, failing economy, China border tensions, spiraling Covid cases, and farmers' agitation by putting the spotlight on the supposed ills of the film industry.”

“My casting in 'Halo' produced by Steven Spielberg, which I am doing, is just color-blind casting; Asians have been questioning why best roles should not come to them and I am so happy about this color-blind casting. I am going to be just what I am in that film.”

“My father used to celebrate all festivals like Eid, Diwali, Holi, Christmas, etc. with great gusto.”

“Some people feel that the purpose of cinema is entertainment - which in itself is a healthy enough goal, provided you define what constitutes entertainment. But I come from a family where I grew up believing that cinema - art - should be used as an instrument for change and that's the kind of cinema I've largely done and been attracted to.”

“I've embraced life at all stages.”

“I'm not a great stickler for giving or receiving presents on birthdays, anniversaries, etc. as a 'must do.' I prefer giving a gift without occasion if I feel it's something a friend will like.”

“It is accepted the world over that women are an essential part of what makes a society successful, and only through supporting and empowering women can a country truly be strong.”

“I think there is not enough understanding of the fact that in a democracy how you treat the security of the minority must be a very important part for the success of a democracy.”

“I take care to conduct myself formally in public and not be brash. That is a given for people in public life. But I'm very bohemian and informal when I'm with friends.”

“I absolutely loved working with Mahesh Bhatt. He and I were so much in tune that he would just press a button and I would start.”

“I've no problem with dying my hair for a role. But in real life, forget it!”

“Why cannot a woman be shown working out of choice, the way men do? Can't a woman work because she enjoys it and is capable of doing it? Why should they be shown leaving home for employment as a sacrifice for the family?”

“I am an optimist and my father was an optimist.”

“Some parents are ambivalent about vaccination after reading misinformed pieces and watching misleading videos on a popular mobile chat application. By electing to avoid vaccinating their child, they are denying their child's right to be protected against these severe diseases.”