Quotes from Shabana Azmi

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.

'Aurat' is an iconic poem which is relevant 70 years later and informs me in the work I do with women.

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

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.

Im hoping that for film actors there is this kind of emotional trigger on any subject. It need not be only slums. It can be anything. But even if it is tentative, sooner or later, it will - by its sheer force - engulf you in a way where you make a commitment and you get involved in it, beyond just making it an image-building exercise.

I grew up in a family that believed that art should be used as an instrument for social change.

What I value is that I have been able to do some modest work to help women rise to the level of their potential.

We never had money but it was never a problem. The spirit of comradeship, the commitment to gender equality, social justice and a celebration of pluralism and India's composite culture provided the glue that kept us joyous and closely bonded.

Women's health is not a niche issue - it impacts everyone in some way. That is why a collective effort to improve awareness and understanding of menstrual hygiene is key to closing the gender health gap.

I think there is not enough understanding of the fact that in a democracy how you treat the security of the minority must be a very important part for the success of a democracy.

Until the age of 19, I lived in the Communist Party commune where eight families lived in 180 to 200 square feet of space. In that world, social justice was a given. We grew up valuing that.

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.