Shabana Azmi is a popular Indian actress noted for her versatility, her intelligence, and her wide appeal in her country. Her mother, a well-known actress, and her father, a renowned Urdu poet, raised her in Bombay. After obtaining a degree in psychology, she took a course at the Film and Television Institute of India. She made her feature debut in Ankur, (1974). Azmi then went on to star in the films of all of India's most prominent directors. She has won many national awards and has gained some international recognition. During the 1980s she became notorious for her political activism and support of liberal causes.