New York:
Padma Bhushan awardee Shabana Azmihas been honoured by the city of New York for her contributionto cinema and her involvement with the movie industry here,becoming the first Indian actor to receive the honour from thecity.
Azmi was presented with a 'Proclamation by the City ofNew York' honouring her "in recognition of her greatcontribution to the art of cinema and for her participationwith the movie industry in New York City."
Azmi, 61, was presented with the proclamation by PatriciaKaufman, Executive Director of Motion Picture and TelevisionDevelopment from the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomoas well as with a 'Certificate of Special CongressionalRecognition' by New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney.
The proclamation also applauded her work as a socialactivist, noting that apart from being a "highly respected"advocate for social justice, she has worked tirelessly forother causes, including funding for displaced Kashmirimigrants and relief for victims of the Latur earthquake.
"Coming from the city's council in recognition of my workin cinema is obviously something that makes me very happy,"Azmi said.
The proclamation added that her presence on the board ofthe arts organisation Indo-American Arts council (IAAC) hasinspired hundreds of Indian film makers in the New York areafor over a decade.
"Shabana Azmi's talent has garnered internationalacclaim, helping to shape the Indian film industry and buildawareness of Indian cinema in North America," Kaufman said atthe ceremony here attended by several prominent members of theIndian American community.
Describing Azmi as a "woman of extraordinary achievementhailing from a country rich in culture and traditions,"Kaufmanextended Cuomo's wishes to her on receiving the honour.
Azmi has served as an advisory board member of the annualNew York Indian Film Festival, established by the IAAC in2000. The annual film festival, which brings together featurefilms and documentaries from and about the Indiansubcontinent, will be held this year from May 23 to 27.
Azmi lauded the IAAC and its co-founder Aroon Shivdasanifor creating a space in North America for Indian anddiaspora-related films.
"This is the 100th year of Indian cinema and any effortthat can be made to strengthen its visibility anywhere in theworld is something that I welcome very greatly.
"The fact that the New York City Council recognises mywork in cinema becomes a means of saying that Indian cinema iswhat we recognise because I am who I am because of my firstprimary identity of being an Indian film actor. It becomes apeg on which you can create greater visibility."
Azmi fondly recalled her association with New York city,the cosmopolitan character and buzz of which reminds her ofMumbai. She was the only Asian actor to be honoured with aretrospective of her films at the 40th New York Film Festivalin 2002.
The five-time National Award winner was this year namedrecipient of the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilianaward. Azmi has won accolades in India and across the worldfor her films like Ankur, Arth, Masoom, Godmother andFire.
Her repertoire of international work includes JohnSchlesinger's Madame Sousatzka, Nicholas Klotz's BengaliNight, Roland Joffe's City of Joy, and Blake Edwards'Son of the Pink Panther. She is currently working on MiraNair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Azmi said the awards and honour are a "bonus" for thetruthfulness with which she performs her work.
"It would be a mistake to work in a film hoping that thisis going to give me a national award or an Oscar because thenyou would not be working with truthfulness. If you aretruthful to your work then dividends will flow naturally," shesaid, adding that this is a lesson she has learnt from herparents, legendary poet Kaifi Azmi and actor Shaukat Kaifi.
Having herself vowed audiences across the globe with herstellar performances, Azmi says it is Vidya Balan from thecurrent crop of Indian actors who has impressed her the mostwith her work.
Balan has done five films in a row which are verydifferent from each other, making some very courageouschoices, she said adding that Balan's films are those whichwould not necessarily be embraced by the mainstream cinema."I watch her work closely and am very impressed withher," she said.
Beaming with pride for Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, Azmi wasalso full of praise for the brother-sister duo and theaccolades and awards the two have been receiving for theirmovies.
She said it is not everyday that parents see both theirchildren vying for the award for best director and best film,referring to Farhan's movie Don 2 and Zoya's film ZindagiNa Milegi Dobara, with both being nominated for the FilmfareAward for best Director this year.
Azmi was presented with a 'Proclamation by the City ofNew York' honouring her "in recognition of her greatcontribution to the art of cinema and for her participationwith the movie industry in New York City."
Azmi, 61, was presented with the proclamation by PatriciaKaufman, Executive Director of Motion Picture and TelevisionDevelopment from the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomoas well as with a 'Certificate of Special CongressionalRecognition' by New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney.
The proclamation also applauded her work as a socialactivist, noting that apart from being a "highly respected"advocate for social justice, she has worked tirelessly forother causes, including funding for displaced Kashmirimigrants and relief for victims of the Latur earthquake.
"Coming from the city's council in recognition of my workin cinema is obviously something that makes me very happy,"Azmi said.
The proclamation added that her presence on the board ofthe arts organisation Indo-American Arts council (IAAC) hasinspired hundreds of Indian film makers in the New York areafor over a decade.
"Shabana Azmi's talent has garnered internationalacclaim, helping to shape the Indian film industry and buildawareness of Indian cinema in North America," Kaufman said atthe ceremony here attended by several prominent members of theIndian American community.
Describing Azmi as a "woman of extraordinary achievementhailing from a country rich in culture and traditions,"Kaufmanextended Cuomo's wishes to her on receiving the honour.
Azmi has served as an advisory board member of the annualNew York Indian Film Festival, established by the IAAC in2000. The annual film festival, which brings together featurefilms and documentaries from and about the Indiansubcontinent, will be held this year from May 23 to 27.
Azmi lauded the IAAC and its co-founder Aroon Shivdasanifor creating a space in North America for Indian anddiaspora-related films.
"This is the 100th year of Indian cinema and any effortthat can be made to strengthen its visibility anywhere in theworld is something that I welcome very greatly.
"The fact that the New York City Council recognises mywork in cinema becomes a means of saying that Indian cinema iswhat we recognise because I am who I am because of my firstprimary identity of being an Indian film actor. It becomes apeg on which you can create greater visibility."
Azmi fondly recalled her association with New York city,the cosmopolitan character and buzz of which reminds her ofMumbai. She was the only Asian actor to be honoured with aretrospective of her films at the 40th New York Film Festivalin 2002.
The five-time National Award winner was this year namedrecipient of the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilianaward. Azmi has won accolades in India and across the worldfor her films like Ankur, Arth, Masoom, Godmother andFire.
Her repertoire of international work includes JohnSchlesinger's Madame Sousatzka, Nicholas Klotz's BengaliNight, Roland Joffe's City of Joy, and Blake Edwards'Son of the Pink Panther. She is currently working on MiraNair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Azmi said the awards and honour are a "bonus" for thetruthfulness with which she performs her work.
"It would be a mistake to work in a film hoping that thisis going to give me a national award or an Oscar because thenyou would not be working with truthfulness. If you aretruthful to your work then dividends will flow naturally," shesaid, adding that this is a lesson she has learnt from herparents, legendary poet Kaifi Azmi and actor Shaukat Kaifi.
Having herself vowed audiences across the globe with herstellar performances, Azmi says it is Vidya Balan from thecurrent crop of Indian actors who has impressed her the mostwith her work.
Balan has done five films in a row which are verydifferent from each other, making some very courageouschoices, she said adding that Balan's films are those whichwould not necessarily be embraced by the mainstream cinema."I watch her work closely and am very impressed withher," she said.
Beaming with pride for Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, Azmi wasalso full of praise for the brother-sister duo and theaccolades and awards the two have been receiving for theirmovies.
She said it is not everyday that parents see both theirchildren vying for the award for best director and best film,referring to Farhan's movie Don 2 and Zoya's film ZindagiNa Milegi Dobara, with both being nominated for the FilmfareAward for best Director this year.
