Akhtar's Reaction to Azmi's Protest
Lyricist Javed Akhtar has said he is "proud" of his wife, actor Shabana Azmi, for joining the recent CJP student protests in New Delhi over the alleged NEET paper leak. Speaking on the podcastLet's Talk With DevnaG, Akhtar recounted that Azmi called him while he was in London to tell him she was going to Delhi for the protests. "When she told me, I knew she would. It's the call of the conscience," he said. "Not once I told her to not go or think twice."
Akhtar added, "The moment she told me I cannot not go, I knew the old Shabana had woken up, and nobody can stop her. And good she did! I'm proud of her." He said that when a person's conscience is "pushed against the wall," there comes a point when they have to act or risk being unable to face themselves.
Health Scare and Context
Azmi participated in demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20, during which Delhi Police used tear gas. According to reports, she suffered an asthma attack after tear gas was deployed and was subsequently diagnosed with H1N1. The diagnosis prevented her from joining another student demonstration in Mumbai.
Before traveling to Delhi, Azmi and Akhtar had reportedly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging dialogue with the protesting students. They received no substantive response for three days, after which they joined the protests.
A History of Activism
Akhtar said Azmi's decision to join the protest did not surprise him, describing speaking up for causes as something that has been part of her life since before they became a couple. "This isn't the first time she's done this. She's aged now, so does it less now," he said with a laugh. "I've gone to the police station to bail her out. She's gone for a hunger strike in Mumbai. She's been quite active."
He said activism was already an important part of Azmi's life when their relationship began developing in the late 1970s. Among the incidents he referred to was her participation in the 1993 Cuffe Parade protests in Mumbai against the demolition of slum dwellers' homes. At the time, Azmi was arrested along with 16 others and reportedly refused to seek bail or accept the charges against her.
During her detention, she was scheduled to perform in the playTumhari Amrita at Tata Theatre. Akhtar said Azmi's mother, veteran actor Shaukat Kaifi, persuaded the police to escort her to the venue. Azmi then performed in the same dusty clothes in which she had been detained, and Akhtar later bailed her out.
Azmi was last seen in the filmBatwara 1947.