Top 100 Quotes & Sayings by Shabana Azmi - Page 2

Art cinema is easier to do as situations in it are closer to real life.

There was a film which I did many, many, many years ago which took 14 years to make. Fourteen years. It was a film called 'Oonch Neech Beech' and in one shot, Shashi Kapoor goes out for a jog and when he reaches, he is 40 kilos heavier!

My fingers are always in every single pie.

We need role models in our society that the youth can look up to because that space is shrinking.

I've no problem with dying my hair for a role. But in real life, forget it!

Immunization protects India's children and, I stress, saves them from vaccine-preventable illnesses and deaths. Vaccines are not meant to harm our children.

People of Pakistan don't want a ban on Indian content in their country, but it is their politicians who want it. In our country too, politicians want to ban their art and artists.

Acting in itself is changing. This change is because of the advent of the casting director. Earlier, there would be stock characters, who would be seen in every film. Now, casting directors are bringing fresh faces.

For me, be it 'Arth' or 'Libaas' or 'Masoom,' there has always been space to break stereotypes or social constructs and perform beyond the norm. It happened all through my career and I am happy it did.

If you stay cocooned in your own safety net, you cannot grow as an actor. You need to be socially engaged and invested to hone your skills.

It seems kosher and OK to treat women as objects because the business of cinema is about images and when you have fragmented images of a woman's bosom and her swiveling hip and her twisting navel, it robs the woman of all autonomy and subjects her to the male gaze.

Earlier at 30, a girl's career was over. Now, all of our top actresses are above 30 and doing well.

Vulgar lyrics and suggestive, voyeuristic camera angles do not celebrate a woman's sexuality, they actually objectify her.

After it was declared as an industry and legit money started coming in, actors were then given the choice of making one film at a time.

India is a beautiful country. Any attempt to divide people cannot be good for this country.

Earlier, there were only two hairstyles. If the hero had a fringe, he was village bumpkin. If he slicked his hair back, he was an urban sophisticate.

Terrorism should be struck down with an iron hand.

Smartphones have ensured connectivity like never before. We are bombarded with information on 24/7 television and other new sources. We are in constant touch with each other, communicating via technology.

I've done whatever I've been compelled to do, and I've done it all to the best of my abilities. If I've been recognized or honored for what I've done then those are bonuses, not the reason for doing what I did.

What bothers me about red carpet, particularly Cannes, is that it's an extremely important festival where stunning films are shown and nothing of that ever comes in papers. It's always celebrities standing with one hand on waist, I don't know who decided that as an attractive position.

Whenever I was troubled and confused, I always depended upon my father to give me an objective perspective.

My casting in 'Halo' produced by Steven Spielberg, which I am doing, is just color-blind casting; Asians have been questioning why best roles should not come to them and I am so happy about this color-blind casting. I am going to be just what I am in that film.

I am trying to Marie Condo the house starting with my books, although it's really hard to part with them! But I really want to de-clutter and get rid of stuff I haven't used for six months, whether it's clothes, bags, or shoes.

An actor's resource base must be life itself.

I was very nervous about speaking in Punjabi. I have learnt it by heart.

Fear is a phenomena that each one of us faces, in different ways.

As an actor I have a cushy position because everything gets set up for me. I am only needed to learn my lines , take the light, hit my mark and rev up the emotion.

I absolutely loved working with Mahesh Bhatt. He and I were so much in tune that he would just press a button and I would start.

A woman director is not obliged to make a feminist film. She can make what she wants, a thriller, an action film, a comedy, or whatever, but hopefully, she will be informed by a gaze that is female.

In times of crisis the artist must rise to the challenge and try to make sense from the chaos.

Some parents are ambivalent about vaccination after reading misinformed pieces and watching misleading videos on a popular mobile chat application. By electing to avoid vaccinating their child, they are denying their child's right to be protected against these severe diseases.

In a patriarchal society like ours, women have to fight hard for a seat at the table. Boys are privileged over girls from birth. Equal opportunity and access for both girls and boys must become the norm.

I find it amusing that every time I was asked when I will work with Zoya or Farhan, I was quoted as saying, 'It will be easier to convince Steven Spielberg to cast me rather than my own children.' That has come true.

Look at poor Nirupa Roy. She got substantial roles, but at 30 they made her put grey in her hair. And Achala Sachdev was all of 16 when she played 60. She quit because she got nightmares about dropping a thali and screaming, 'Nahin!' You know an actor or any other human being needs to be comfortable in her space at whatever age she is.

It's interesting to see how 'Arth' still touches a chord in people's hearts all these years later. Men were very hostile when the film was shown in 1984. They were angry and said things like I'm teaching women wrong things by saying they have the choice to walk out of their husband's home if they are cheated upon.

I don't see the point of having a favorite sari or a favorite outfit if I know that I won't repeat it. I'm glad Kate Middleton has been repeating her outfits and talking about sustainable fashion. Celebrities must set an example and repeat their clothes.

I can't describe fear as well as I can describe courage. Courage is when you overcome fear.

It is always necessary that we point out our flaws for the betterment of our country. If we do not, how can our conditions improve? But the atmosphere is such that if we criticize the government we are branded as anti-nationals.

I like having family and friends around me. Our house is always overflowing with guests.

We live in interesting times. Information overload can make it difficult to sift fact from fiction.