Shabana Azmi’s 50 glorious years in Cinema – New York Indian Film Festival to celebrate
Shabana Azmi’s 50 glorious years in Cinema – New York
Indian Film Festival to celebrate
The 50-year milestone cinematic journey of veteran actress Shabana Azmi will be celebrated in June at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), the annual celebration of features and documentaries from the Indian subcontinent.
Notedly, the 24th edition of the NYIFF touted as North America’s longest running and most prestigious Indian film festival, will run from May 31-June 2 and showcase 49 narratives, documentaries and short films featuring some of the biggies in Hindi Cinema that includes Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan and Naseeruddin Shah.
With the year 2024 marking Azmi’s five decades in Indian and international cinema, the gala will celebrate this milestone anniversary with a special event including the screening of her 1996 Deepa Mehta’s directorial ‘Fire’.
It is a proud moment for the B’town’s veteran actress Shabana Azmi who in a statement went on to reveal that she has been in collaboration with the NYIFF since its inception and feels heartened by the progress it has made over the years in leaps and bounds. She is equally happy that her 50th year is being celebrated and looks forward to it.
Shabana,73, who will make her presence at this year’s NYIFF, will delve into her “remarkable journey, from her groundbreaking debut in Shyam Benegal’s ‘Ankur’, to her trailblazing roles that has won for her five National Film Awards and international accolades..
The statement further added that beyond her cinematic achievements, Azmi’s “dedication to social activism, particularly for the rights of women and the underprivileged, is truly inspiring.
The Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee has featured in over 140 Hindi films and 12 international productions such as Mehta’s ‘Midnight’s Children’, Mira Nair’s ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ and Ismail Merchant’s ‘In Custody’.
“From her groundbreaking portrayal in ‘Ankur’ to her recent roles in ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ and ‘Ghoomer’, her associations transcend borders, with projects including Shekhar Kapur’s ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It?’ and Steven Spielberg’s prestigious mini-series ‘Halo’.
“Azmi’s repertoire is a testimony to her unparalleled skill and diverse roles. As Shabana Azmi continues to ignite screens and stages alike with her presence, her legacy as a trailblazer in Indian cinema remains unparalleled.
The festival, presented by the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC), will open with the film ‘Dear Jassi’, directed by Indian-American filmmaker Tarsem Singh, who has made films with Jennifer Lopez and Julia Roberts, besides directing videos for music legends like the bands REM and Lady Gaga. Closing the festival will be the Sanya Malhotra-starrer ‘Mrs’, directed by Arati Kadav.
Highlights of this year’s festival include the Bachchan and Vivek Gomber starrer ‘The Umesh Chronicles’ by filmmaker Pooja Kaul; Naseeruddin Shah in the short film ‘Khidki’, documentary ‘Merchant Ivory’, and Tannishtha Chatterjee in American filmmaker Wendy Bednarz’s debut film ‘Yellow Bus’.
News Edit K.V.Raman
