Veteran actress Shabana Azmi in recent interview said she identifies as Muslim culturally but does not practice religion.
“Yes, I am a Muslim, and I like Eid, Urdu, the food, I like all of that. But we don’t read namaz, and we have no association with religion as such,” Azmi said.
She said religion is private matter, state shouldn’t interfere. “If you feel good after praying, then I don’t have any problem at all.” She called husband Javed Akhtar staunch atheist and said her father Kaifi Azmi was atheist too.
Azmi said extremists from both Hindu and Muslim sides can’t tolerate them, proving their secular credentials. “It’s not fight between Hindu and Muslim, it’s fight between liberals and intolerant,” she said, adding fatwas and terrorist labels faced.
The 76-year-old, daughter of communist activists, said her composite ganga-jamuni tehzeeb includes celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi and Eid with equal enthusiasm.
