Happy Birthday Shabana Azmi: Lesser-known facts about the versatile actor

Born into the Azmi family, Shabana has carved a niche for herself with her on-screen appearances. Shabana Azmi, the actress who shuffles herself in every genre of acting, isn't just a delight to watch on-screen but is an outstanding performer too. Her father, Kaifi Azmi, was an Urdu poet and lyricist, and her mother, Shaukat Azmi, was a veteran stage actress. Her brother, Baba Azmi, is a cinematographer who has worked on films like Pukaar, Tezaab, and Mr. India. Actors Farah Naaz and Tabu are her nieces. On her Birthday, here are some shocking facts about this beautiful and talented actress:

1) Shabana Azmi is the only actor to win the National Award for Best Actor five times. She won it for her first release, Ankur, in 1974, which also marked the directorial debut of Shyam Benegal. She went on to win the National Award for three consecutive years, from 1983 to 1985, for her notable work in the films Arth, Khandhar, and Paar. 

2) Shabana Azmi had a huge crush on Shashi Kapoor. Shashi's father, Prithviraj Kapoor, was her neighbour, and every time Shashi paid a visit to his father, Shabana would get him to autograph one of his pictures. Shabana and Shashi were paired together in the 1976 film Fakira.

3) Love blossomed between Shabana Azmi and Shekhar Kapoor during the making of Dev Anand's Ishq Ishq Ishq. The couple even got engaged. However, the relationship did not work out and the engagement was called-off.

4) Shabana Azmi fell in love with already married Javed Akhtar in the late 70s. At that time, their affair news had started printing on every gossip magazine’s front page. In fact, before Javed, Shabana was reportedly dating Shekhar Kapur whereas, Javed was married to 10 years younger Honey Irani.

5) Shabana said in an interview that she and Javed Akhtar tried to break off several times. Shabana’s father Kaifi Azmi did not approve of Shabana’s wedding to a married man. Finally, Akhtar got a divorce and the couple were married on December 9, 1984 becoming the muse to the astounding poet.

6) Shabana has no kids with Javed Akhtar but she still considers Farhan and Zoya as her kids.

7) According to Shaukat Kaifi’s autobiography, Kaifi and I: A Memoir, Shabana attempted suicide by eating copper sulphate in her school’s chemistry lab on a doubt that her mother loved her younger brother, Baba Azmi more than her.