Shabana Azmi, who has long been known for taking a stand for social causes, is in the headlines for supporting the ongoing student protest in Delhi. She was seen joining students at Jantar Mantar, ending their hunger strike, and later addressing the gathering from a truck. Even after suffering an asthma attack during the protest, Shabana returned to stand with the students, reinforcing her decades-long commitment to social activism. But long before she became one of India's most respected actors and activists, Shabana's own life was marked by emotional struggles, rejection, and resilience. Let's get into the flashback story of Shabana in our weekly segment “Flashback Friday.” Born into a family of artists Shabana Azmi was born on 18 September 1950 in Hyderabad to renowned Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi and theatre actor Shaukat Azmi. Growing up in a household deeply rooted in literature, theatre, and progressive thought, she was exposed to art from an early age. Despite growing up in an artistic environment, Shabana's childhood was far from easy. At age 9, her family lived in a commune called the "Red Flag Hall" in Mumbai. Eight families shared a single bathroom and toilet. Tried ending her life twice over insecurities in childhood According to Shaukat Azmi's autobiography Kaifi I: A Memoir, Shabana struggled deeply with feelings of neglect as a child and even attempted ending her life twice. At the age of nine, she believed her mother loved her younger brother Baba more. Hurt by an incident involving her brother, she consumed copper sulphate from her school laboratory. Fortunately, one of her classmates informed her mother in time. The other time, after being scolded by her mother for rude behaviour and told to leave the house, Shabana ran to Grant Road railway station and attempted to jump in front of a train. A school watchman intervened and saved her. Sold coffee outside petrol station for being independent Shabana developed a strong sense of independence early in life. She rarely asked her parents for extra money. Instead, she would save a few rupees from her daily bus fare whenever she wanted to buy snacks. After completing Senior Cambridge in first division, she spent three months working at a petrol station selling coffee before joining college. She earned ₹30 a day and quietly handed all her savings to her mother. Enrolled in FTII Pune, learnt acting; debuted with filmmaker Shyam Benegal's film Acting was not simply handed to her because of her family background. She trained seriously at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, where filmmaker Shyam Benegal became one of her biggest mentors. After graduating from FTII, Shabana was introduced to filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who cast her in Ankur in 1974. The film transformed her career overnight and established her as one of the strongest faces of India's parallel cinema movement. Over the next five decades, she delivered memorable performances in films such as- Only Bollywood actress to have 5 National Awards Few actors in Indian cinema have matched Shabana Azmi's consistency. She hold a record of achieving the National Film Award for Best Actress five times, making her one of the most renowned actresses in Indian cinema. Her performances have also earned her several Filmfare Awards and numerous international honours, cementing her reputation as one of India's finest performers. Was in love with filmmaker Shekhar Kapur before Javed Akhtar Before marrying Javed Akhtar, Shabana was reportedly in a long-term relationship with filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. Although the relationship eventually ended, the two remained on cordial terms and continued to work professionally. Had childhood crush on actor Shashi Kapoor In a 2004 interview, Shabana Azmi admitted that she had a crush on Shashi Kapoor. She recalled that Shashi and his wife Jennifer were close family friends, while Prithviraj Kapoor lived next door to her parents. Every Sunday, when Shashi visited her father, she would buy a photograph just to collect his autograph. When she was cast opposite him in Fakira (1976), she felt nervous because he was already a huge star. Shabana added that Shashi and Jennifer made her feel beautiful and confident. Fell in love with Javed Akhtar's wit and intellect Javed Akhtar first became close to Shabana's family through her father, Kaifi Azmi, whom he frequently visited for guidance on poetry. Over time, Shabana was drawn to Javed's wit, intellect, and personality. Their relationship, however, was complicated because Javed was already married to screenwriter Honey Irani, with whom he had two children including Zoya Akhtar and Farhan Akhtar. Both Shabana and Javed reportedly tried to distance themselves several times because of the circumstances. Eventually, Javed divorced Honey Irani, and he married Shabana Azmi on 9 December 1984. Why Shabana never had children? Shabana has spoken openly about not having biological children and has never treated the subject with regret or secrecy. In an earlier interview, she admitted that accepting infertility was emotionally difficult because society often makes women feel incomplete if they cannot become mothers. She said that a woman's identity should come from her work rather than patriarchal expectations of motherhood. During an appearance on Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, Shabana also revealed why she never chose to adopt a child. She explained that her close relationship with Farhan and Zoya Akhtar naturally fulfilled that emotional space in her life. Rather than raising young children, she enjoyed interacting with them as they grew older, sharing ideas, conversations, and watching them develop into creative individuals. More than just an actor, have stand for social causes Across five decades, Shabana Azmi has built a legacy that extends far beyond cinema. Whether through her award-winning performances or her consistent involvement in social causes, she has remained one of the country's most respected public figures. Shabana has always stood at the forefront of social causes. From campaigning for women's rights, communal harmony, slum rehabilitation and HIV AIDS awareness to speaking up for freedom of expression, she has never hesitated to raise her voice. Even today, as she continues to stand with people she believes deserve support, Shabana Azmi remains as fearless off-screen as she has always been on it.