Intolerance is against the basic grain of Indian culture
The controversy surrounding Water refused to abate. Reporters had been chasing her with questions all day long and she was exhausted. Yet Shabana Azmi decided to spend her evening answering questions on Rediff Chat. And her answers, just like her, were hardhitting and straight to the point.
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:37 IST)
Hi everyone....
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nachiketa (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:35 IST)
Ms Azmi: HAve you shown the script to the UP government?
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:39 IST)
Nachiketa: The procedure is that the film has to be first passed by the ministry of I&B at the centre. It is then suggested that the state government MAY BE consulted. However, the DM Varanasi has been given the script.
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Kirti Verma (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:38 IST)
Ms Azmi, as an artist, what affect do such incidences have on your creativity? Do you think the shoot will begin shortly?
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:42 IST)
Kirti Sharma: I'm hopeful that we should be we should be able to start shooting by day after tomorrow. But the whole process of negoitiation is very draining. I have lost all the concentration that is required for an intense script like Water.
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Kersasp (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:42 IST)
Do you think these so-called defenders of Hinduism have really the interests of Hindusim at heart?
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:43 IST)
Kerasap: Hinduism is a very tolerant, all embracing religion. By indulging in vandalism, the so-called custodians of Hindu religion are actually defiling it. Because vandalism has no place in Hinduism.
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smisra (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:40 IST)
Shabana-ji... when uneducated masses oppose the showing of critical movies or publishing of critical books, one frequent complaint they voice is that "you" are criticizing "our" culture, traditions, history, etc. In this complaint is inherent the feeling of "you" as outside the "us", as not sharing the same culture, and hence... not criticizing from within as perhaps a religious leader or guru would be allowed to do but criticizing from the outside. What do you think of this?
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:47 IST)
Smisra: I'm not sure that the criticism of this script is based on any real feeling of injury, it seems more like an opportunity has been provided to force attention on people who have no other claim to fame. However, I do think that whenever you come out against social injustice, there are some people who become extra-sensitive. In a democracy everybody should have the right to express their views freely, even if it is pure fiction.
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shabani azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:43 IST)
Shabana ji , what is the greatest problem our country is facing today - probably "lesbianism"
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:49 IST)
shabani: The biggest problem our country is facing today is poverty, illiteracy and very poor access to health. But it is very worrying that to these problems is being added the problem of intolerance which is against the basic grain of Indian culture.
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Kirti Verma (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:46 IST)
I read in Rediff that over 110 crew members of the film are just hanging around in Varanasi -- what are the circumstances there. What is the attitude of the locals towards you.
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:51 IST)
Kirti Verma: The local crowds are being hugely supportive, asking us to keep our chins up. Many women's organisations, cultural/student unions have come forward in our support and so we feel heartned that only a small section of people are creating deliberate mischief. But it is very painful to be housebound. I am just looking forward to starting the film. The crew, despite their disappointment, is solidly behind Deepa.
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shabani azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:48 IST)
Shabana ji , if you were offered a film condemning the triple talaq phenomenon in Islam would you do it ?
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:52 IST)
Shabani: Most certainly. I have on record spoken out against triple talaq being unIslamic and leading to the oppression of Muslim women.
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Hallowen (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:50 IST)
Ms Azmi: What you all gain by making such kind of films after all? By highlighting such issues does it make a difference to common man's life who does not have two meals to eat?
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:54 IST)
Hallowen: Any process of art, whether literature or painting or film, uses its medium to create a climate of sensitivity in which it is possible for change to occur. Social attitudes cannot be changed only by legislation and that's why art can be used as an instrument of social change.
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Kirti Verma (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:52 IST)
Ms Azmi, can you elucidate on Deepa Mehta's trip to Delhi after the shooting was halted? What has happened since, what did Arun Jaitley tell her? Was he polite etc?
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:56 IST)
Kirti Verma: Unfortunately, we are still in the dark but still hopeful that, since it was Arun Jaitely's ministry in the first place that gave us the clearance, he will make sure that the shooting proceeds immediately.
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shriram (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:54 IST)
You talk about "Freedom of Expression" what about ban on Nathuram Godse's play?
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:56 IST)
Shriram: I had gone on record both to the press and in Parliament AGAINST the banning of Nathuram Godse.
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smisra (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:54 IST)
Shabana-ji: how would you react to an oppressive system that *was* part of a religiously sanctioned system. For example, suppose hypothetically that it was clear beyond doubt that triple-talaq was *not* un-Islamic, but it is obviously oppressive... how would you react then and how would you reconcile trying to defend the Islamic religion along with criticizing the particular practice supported by the religion?
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:58 IST)
Smisra: In my view, personal laws of ALL religions discriminate against women in matters of inheritance, divorce, marriage and that is why we must work towards a uniform civil code based on GENDER JUSTICE. We need to cull out all the just and equitable laws of all religions to form a blueprint for a common civil code.
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Kirti Verma (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:54 IST)
So Ma'am how are you spending these days there? Reading, planning strategy, meeting people etc... How do you like Varanasi? It is such a historic city. Have you been to Sarnath?
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 7:1 IST)
Kirti Verma: Varansi to me embodies the true spirit of India, it feels like it lives in several centuries simultaneously. The people of Varansi have been very kind and respectful when I've gone out shopping, etc. There is great respect for my father, Kafi Azmi, since he hails from Azamgarh. But I have been housebound since today, just when I was planning to go to Sarnath :-(
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Princess (Wed Feb 2 19100 6:58 IST)
ms azmi... do you think the protests are politically engineered, against you? after all, everyone knows u r virulently opposed to the bjp's politics....
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 7:2 IST)
Princess: The opposition to the film started much before people even knew that I was acting in the film. It will be unfair to say that I'm being discriminated against because I have different political views from the BJP.
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Kirti Verma (Wed Feb 2 19100 7:0 IST)
Ms Azmi, another very curious thing here is that none of the film fraternity seems to have come out in support of Water -- why is there such a lack of solidarity from among your kind?
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 7:4 IST)
Kirti Verma: That's not true. Mahesh Bhatt, Shatrughan Sinha, Amit Khanna and Pahlaj Nihalani, on behalf of their organisations Producers Guild, etc, have come out strongly in our support.
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Aawara (Wed Feb 2 19100 7:9 IST)
Hi Shabanaji, what is the relevance of the film WATER in this millenium considering that it's a period film and whatever the sensitive issues it's touching.
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 7:9 IST)
Awaara: Although much has happened in terms of women's progress in the last 50 years, nobody can deny that we have a long way to go. According to recent report edited by Martha Chen, the incidence of mortality in widows is 85 % MORE than in married women of the same age. Isn't that something we need to think about??? I invite you to go and visit some of the present widows' homes, not only in Benares but in all parts of India and then decide whether the custom of discriminating against them still exists or not.
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Ms Shabana Azmi (Wed Feb 2 19100 7:9 IST)
Bye, everyone
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