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Actor-activist Shabana Azmi says theatre is her first love rather than films that brought her fame and prestige. |
“Cinema is the art of the director whereas theatre is where actors are comfortable with,” she said while attending an interactive program-in conversation-at the 18th International Film Festival of Kerala that opened here on Friday.
Azmi, daughter of legendary Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi and actor-activist Shaukat Azmi and wife of Javed Akhtar, poet, lyricist and scriptwriter, was the guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the festival.
“One can sing or dance on her own. But you need somebody to prompt while you are acting,” the award winning actor said explaining the art of acting in her view.
Azmi also believes that Indian cinema should remain secular where all kinds of films can prosper.
“All types of films must prosper in a democratic country like India,” she later told a news conference where she fielded a wide range of questions including her acting career and political views. “My family and the way in which I was brought up influenced my selection of movies across all genres”.
She said she was happy that the film festival has brought in great pieces of art from all over the world and rejoiced over the huge participation of the audience.
Nearly 10,000 delegates from across the state and elsewhere are attending the festival.
“While masters like Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen portrayed rural life in their films as it was the reality they have seen in their lifetime the approach of the contemporary filmmakers are different,” she pointed out.
While answering to a question regarding whether she is interested in acting in Malayalam movies, she said she finds it difficult since it was important for her to understand the language while acting.
She said she was happy about the fact that many women are into the financing now than ever but she has reservations about celebration of women’s sexuality by mainstream movies. “At present film cameras are used as an instrument for making women as an object of sexuality,” she said.
Appealing help for her philanthropic initiatives, she said the ‘Homes for slum dwellers’ organised by the charity Niwara Hakh has completed building 50,000 homes in Mumbai. She stressed on the need of having a land bank for the weaker sections of the society.
She also pointed out the need for having special film complexes across major cities in India.
On a lighter note, she turned down the future prospects of directing a movie by saying it requires a significant amount of hard work.
She said contrary to the general perception, she hails from Hyderabad. She rated Tabu, Vidya Balan and Konkana Sharma as most talented female actors of Bollywood.