Shaukat Kaifi Biography 
Shaukat Kaifi is a noted theatre and film actress, also known as a social activist and writer. She is best known as the wife of famous writer-poet – Kaifi Azmi. The couple had two children - Shabana Azmi and Baba Azmi. Shabana Azmi is a famous Bollywood actress and winner of 4 National awards while Baba Azmi is a famous cinematographer known for hit movies like Arjun, Beta, Dil, Tezaab, Mr. India, Akele Hum Akele Tum and Pukar. Famous writer cum film personality Javed Akhtar is her son-in-law. Noted Bollywood actresses Farah and Tabu are her grandnieces. She is a member of famous Akhtar-Azmi family. In 2006, she published a biography, Kaifi and I, that was later adapted to a play Kaifi aur Main.
Shaukat Kaifi was born into a Muslim family in Hyderabad of present day Telangana. She married noted Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi in the late 1940s and first daughter Shabana Azmi was born in 1950. Shaukat was associated with theatre before moving to cinema. She did the memorable role of Khannum jaan in Rekha starrer Umrao Jaan in 1980. When the movie was later remade in 2006 with Aishwarya playing the role of Umrao Jaan, Shabana Azmi portrayed the role played by her mother in the original.
Shaukat, an active member of stage plays and Indian People's Theatre Association, was also an activist associated with Communist Party of India. In 2006, she published a biography, Kaifi and I, on the 4th death anniversary of her husband. The book was launched by the author's grand-niece, Tabu and is a beautiful take on Shaukat's journey with late poet husband Kaifi Azmi. It also included the life of her kids. Shaukat has appeared in Bollywood movies – Lorie, Baazar, Umrao jaan and Anjuman.
Published: N/A
Updated: November 29, 2015
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