When it comes to bringing honour to the Indian film industry and the country, Shabana Azmi is next to none.
It comes as a surprise to know she would be addressing the House Of Lords of the British Parliament next week. But then maybe it isn’t so much of a surprise because Shabana has been there, done it before.
Says the redoubtable lucid and empowered actress, “What can I say?I’m honoured to be speaking at the House Of Lords in the UK parliament on 9 March. The topic would be ‘Identity and Integration.’ My pitch would be to argue that genders, communities , cultures and nations can be equal and yet separate.”
When I remind my favourite actress that she has spoken in the British parliament before she recalls with much pleasure, “Of course I’ve been there before. I got my Gandhi International Peace Prize at the House Of Lords and I was honoured to receive the prize from one of my favourite actresses Vanessa Redgrave who has constantly addressed the issues of social cultural and gender empowerment that concern me.”