Veteran Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi is celebrating her 73rd birthday today.
Unquestionably, Shabana Azmi is one of the best actors Indian films have ever produced. The renowned actress, who most recently appeared in the hit ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani,’ made her acting debut in the 1974 film Ankur, directed by Shyam Benegal, and went on to become one of the country's forerunners of arthouse cinema.
Shabana Azmi always chose performance-oriented parts that pushed her as an artist, in contrast to the majority of her colleagues who sought to play stereotypical Bollywood heroines.
It is pertinent to mention here that Shabana Azmi continues to hold the record for most acting accolades in the illustrious National Film Awards' Best Actress category.
The accolade was bestowed on the veteran actress five times: in 1975, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1999. Additionally, she enjoys the distinction of being the first actress to have triumphed in the Best Actress category at the National Film Awards three times in a row.