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Shabana Azmi is not only well-known for her nuanced acting skills but also for her bold activism.
Shabana Azmi kicked off her acting career by winning the National Award For Best Actress in her debut movie, Ankur, in 1974. This should say enough about the accomplished actress’ talent and passion. What’s more, she went on to win 5 more National Awards – 3 of which were won in consecutive years.
Shabana Azmi was not afraid of taking up controversial or off-beat roles, such as that of a woman embracing homosexuality in conservative India, in the movie Fire. Her poise and polished acting skills won her praise for realistically portraying all the characters that she played, while her choice of strong characters also brought criticism and outrage to her door.
In recent times, Shabana Azmi has also been in the news for fighting for the rights of the poor and the downtrodden in India. She is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund and also a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Among a host of other awards and accolades, Shabana Azmi was awarded the Padma Shri as well as the Padma Bhushan by the Indian government.
Why we find her inspiring:
– For giving her best to her work and for contributing immensely to the Indian film scene
– For lending her celebrity status to several social causes such as campaigns against ostracizing victims of AIDs
– For voicing her opinions and supporting women’s rights despite facing flak from certain quarters
*Photo source: I Love India.
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Neena was the sole caregiver of Amma and though one would think that Amma was dependent on her, Neena felt otherwise.
Neena inhaled the aroma that emanated from the pan and took a deep breath. The aroma of cumin interspersed with butter transported her back to the modest kitchen in her native village. She could picture her father standing in the kitchen wearing his white crisp kurta as he made delectable concoctions for his only daughter.
Neena grew up in a home where both her parents worked together in tandem to keep the house up and running. She had a blissful childhood in her modest two-room house. The house was small but every nook and cranny gave her memories of a lifetime. Neena’s young heart imagined that her life would follow the same cheerful course. But how wrong she was!
When she was sixteen, the catastrophic clutches of destiny snatched away her parents. They passed away in a road accident and Neena was devastated. Relatives thronged her now gloomy house and soon it was decided that she should be married off.
Being a writer, Nivedita Louis recognises the struggles of a first-time woman writer and helps many articulate their voice with development, content edits as a publisher.
“I usually write during night”, says author Nivedita Louis during our conversation. Chuckling she continues,” It’s easier then to focus solely on writing. Nivedita Louis is a writer, with varied interests and one of the founders of Her Stories, a feminist publishing house, based in Chennai.
In a candid conversation she shared her journey from small-town Tamil Nadu to becoming a history buff, an award-winning author and now a publisher.
Nivedita was born and raised in a small town in Tamil Nadu. It was for schooling that she first arrived in Chennai. Then known as Madras, she recalls being awed by the city. Her love-story with the city, its people and thus began which continues till date. She credits her perseverance and passion to make a difference to her days as a vocational student among the elite sections of Madras.
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