‘POETRY BRINGS SOFTNESS TO LIFE ’
Shabana Azmi talks about her father, the late poet Kaifi Azmi
Kaifi Aur Main is touted as a play that summarises everything about acclaimed poet and lyricist Kaifi Azmi. It was staged in the Capital recently, to celebrate the birth centenary of Azmi, the father of actor Shabana Azmi, in an event organised by Delhi government.
When we caught up with Shabana, she said it was an honour to celebrate “Kaifi Saheb’s journey”.
“He was a person who wore many hats. As an artist, he believed that arts should be used as an instrument for social change. I have been thinking about staging this event for a year now,” she said.
Shabana, who is married to noted lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar, shared that she has an inherent love for poems. “Poetry is what brings softness and adds meaning to life. Through poetry, you also become a participant of the process and not just the recipient. Respect for the words is in my genes,” added the actor.
Although Kaifi’s poems are almost seven decades old, they were know to have a liberal and progressive outlook.
“He has an iconic poem called Aurat, which even today, continues to be the flag bearer of the feminist movement in India. Whether it’s his poems against communalism or for the underprivileged, his poetry, for me, has been very inspirational,” added the Neerja (2016) actor.
The legendary poet’s works are available in a lot of languages. Commenting on the concerns around translating classic pieces of literature, Shabana said, “People say that translation is like pouring perfume from one bottle to another, the fragrance is bound to get lost. But even so, that is the only way that can reach worldwide.”
The National Awardwinning actor concluded with an advice for young poets.
“My father believed that the input is important for an output. So, all aspiring poets should read a lot of poetry,” she said.
He (Kaifi Azmi) was a person who wore many hats. He believed that arts should be used as an instrument for social change.
SHABANA AZMI ACTOR