Shabana Azmi has opened up about growing up with an atheist father, her personal beliefs and husband Javed Akhtar’s views on religion
Updated: October 22, 2026, 2:15 PM IST
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Shabana Azmi (PC- Twitter)
Veteran actor Shabana Azmi has spoken about her personal beliefs, her Muslim identity and the role religion plays in her lifeThe actor said she enjoys celebrating Eid and has a deep connection with Urdu and its cultural traditions, but does not read namazShe also described religion as a personal choice and said the state should not interfere in matters of faith.
In an interaction shared on IIMUN’s YouTube channel, Azmi spoke about growing up in a family where her father was an atheist and her mother practised religion only casuallyShe explained how expressions such as ‘mashallah’ and ‘inshallah’ are part of her everyday language, even though her husband, lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar, questions her use of them.
She said, “My father was an atheistAnd my mother used to practice it somewhat but not seriouslyLike sometimes, I say ‘mashallah’ and ‘inshallah’ but Javed says, ‘Why do you keep saying this? What if someone says ‘prabhu ji ki marzi (God’s will)’ all the time, how will you feel?’ But I feel it’s just something that’s a part of my language.”
Shabana Azmi is the daughter of renowned Urdu poet, lyricist, screenwriter and actor Kaifi Azmi and theatre and film actor Shaukat Kaifi.
Shabana Azmi on her Muslim identity and religion
Azmi clarified that she identifies as Muslim and enjoys the cultural aspects associated with her background, including Eid celebrations, Urdu and foodHowever, she said that religion does not play a formal role in her daily life. She added, “Yes, I am a Muslim, and I like Eid, Urdu, the food, I like all of thatBut we don’t read namaz, and we have no association with religion as such.”
The 76-year-old actor also spoke about her husband Javed Akhtar, describing him as a “staunch atheist.” Azmi said she believes that faith should remain a private matter and that people should be free to practise their beliefs without interference.
She said, “The concept of God isn’t anything that I have had to deal with, except that I feel that it’s really a private matterThe state shouldn’t get involvedIt’s a private matter and if you feel good after praying, then I don’t have any problem with it at all.”
Shabana Azmi says the real fight is between liberals and the intolerant
Azmi also spoke about secularism and the criticism faced by people who hold liberal viewsShe said that extremists from different communities often struggle to accept her and Javed Akhtar’s beliefsWhile some issue fatwas, others accuse them of holding views that go against their own religious communities.
Explaining her position, Azmi said the issue should not be viewed as a conflict between two religions, but as a larger struggle between people who support liberal values and those who promote intolerance. She added, “We need to understand that it is not a fight between Hindu and Muslim, it is a fight between the liberals and the intolerant.”
The actor said liberal Hindus and Muslims can stand together against intoleranceShe believes that looking at the issue through this lens can help reduce the use of religion as a tool to divide people.
On the work front, Azmi was last seen in director Rajkumar Santoshi’s period drama Batwara 1947, set against the backdrop of the Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947The film was based on Asghar Wajahat’s 1989 play Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai.
The film also featured Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Karan Deol, Kanikka Kapur, Ali Fazal, Isha Sandhir and Abhimanyu Singh in key rolesIt was released in theatres on August 14, 2026.
