More often than not, poetry embalms us. And Urdu poetry with its finest couplets processing into a sher brings a certain stillness to the troubled mind.
Owing to its virtue, Manjul Publishing House has been conducting a live Instagram series, Dastaan-e-Shayari, during these troubled times of Covid. Recently poetry enthusiasts got a chance to listen to acclaimed actress and social activist Shabana Azmi on their platform.
Azmi was in conversation with Atika Farooqui, herself a poet and TV anchor, about her work in film and the influences that shaped her life.“Stay positive in these difficult days, and utilise the time at your disposal wisely,” she said, adding, “The lockdown has afforded a long period of time to us, that should be savoured in the company of our loved ones and family, because under normal circumstances, we hardly get to spend time with our loved ones, or even with ourselves for that matter.”
Giving an insight about her life the 69-year-old Azmi said she was raised in a two-room, community apartment with a common bathroom and toilet for eight families, with her communist father Kaifi Azmi, her mother Shaukat, and her brother. And inspite of very little money at that time, theirs was an open house and her parents were generous hosts to anyone that happened to come by.
Azmi shared that she felt blessed that their home “was always filled with literary stalwarts” which influenced her outlook about life.
Talking about her own engagement with poetry with literary influences around, as Azmi is the daughter of renowned Urdu poets Kaifi Azmi and the wife of Javed Akhtar, she promptly replied that she thinks of herself “as their muse and inspiration…” and, therefore, did not see the need to be a poet herself!