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Actress · Hindi Cinema

Shabana Azmi

Retro1974–present

Shabana Azmi is one of Indian cinema's most acclaimed actresses and a leading figure of the 1970s and 1980s parallel cinema movement. The daughter of Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi and a graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India, she made her debut in Shyam Benegal's Ankur (1974) and went on to work across art-house and mainstream films as well as international productions. She is known for emotionally layered portrayals of ordinary and marginalised women in socially conscious films, and she remains active as a performer and social activist.

Honours: Five National Film Awards for Best Actress (a record), for Ankur, Arth, Khandhar, Paar and Godmother; multiple Filmfare Awards; and the Padma Shri (1988) and Padma Bhushan (2012).

Filmography

45 films · compiled from Wikidata

Jazbaa

The 1990s

1999

Did You Know?

Holds the record for the most National Film Awards for Best Actress, with five wins.
She is the daughter of celebrated Urdu poet and lyricist Kaifi Azmi and trained at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune.
Her role in Deepa Mehta's Fire (1996) featured one of Indian cinema's earliest depictions of a same-sex relationship, sparking widespread protests.
A committed social activist, she served as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India's Parliament, from 1997 to 2003.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) has run continuously at Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir cinema for decades — the longest theatrical run in film history.
Sholay (1975) ran for over five years at Mumbai’s Minerva theatre and its dialogues are quoted to this day.
Mother India (1957) was India’s first film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

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Filmography

Recent & Ongoing

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani

Ghoomer

Sheer Qorma

The Black Prince

Kalpvriksh

Neerja

Jazbaa

2000s

Mutroo Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola

Midnight's Children

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Celluloid Man

A Decent Arrangement

Sorry Bhai!

Om Shanti Om

Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.

Loins of Punjab Presents

Positive

X-Men: The Last Stand

Umrao Jaan

Waterborne

15 Park Avenue

Morning Raga

Tehzeeb

Makdee

Hum Paanch

Gaja Gamini

Hari-Bhari

The 1990s

Godmother

Earth

Badadin

Saaz

Side Streets

Mrityudand

Fire

Daughters of This Century

Patang

Son of the Pink Panther

In Custody

City of Joy

Adharm

Dharavi

Ek Doctor Ki Maut

Antarnaad

Jhoothi Shaan

Disha

Did You Know?