Shabana
Azmi's
celebrated
her
60th
birthday
on
September
18
at
a
lounge
named
Trilogy.
The
party
invitees
were
a
mix
of
friends,
family
and
selected
colleagues
from
the
film
industry.
"Not
like
Javed
(Akhtar)'s
60th
birthday
party
which
was
as
lavish
and
large
as
a
wedding
reception," laughs
Shabana
heartily.
"But
a
motley
group
of
invitees
from
film,
theatre
and
my
political
activities.
I
was
doing
a
performance
of
my
new
play
Seven
in
Delhi
till
late
in
the
night
on
Friday.
So
all
the
arrangements
for
the
party
were
done
by
my
gal
pals,
Parna
(best
friend
for
decades)
and
Shahana
(Goswami)
and
my
sister-in-law
Tanvi."
It
seemed
rather
unbelievable
that
the
timeless
Shabana
Azmi
had
actually
turned
60.
The
matter
of
age
made
her
amused.
"I
can't
understand
why
being
60
should
be
such
an
issue.
I
am
asked
in
the
interviews,
'Kaisa
lag
raha
hai?' What
is
one
supposed
to
feel?
I
am
very
proud
to
have
arrived
at
this
place.
Do
I
feel
60?
I
don't
know.
Because
I
don't
know
how
other
60-year
olds
feel.
I
am
just
happy
and
not
time-bound
in
my
pursuit
of
new
challenges."
Shabana
says,
"We
wrapped
up
the
play
in
the
evening
and
then
I
was
with
my
friends
in
Delhi
to
bring
in
my
birthday.
Then
I
flew
into
Mumbai
for
my
party
in
Mumbai.
So
it's
been
almost
a
non-stop
celebration
for
me."
The
play
Seven
that
she
performed
in
Delhi
to
bring
on
her
birthday
is
one
more
attempt
to
bring
her
personal
convictions
on
a
public
platform.
Says
Shabana,
"Someone
pointed
out
something
interesting
to
me.
I
was
shooting
for
Shyam
Benegal's
Ankur
during
my
birthday
many
years
ago.
Now
I
was
performing
a
play
with
a
strong
feminist
message
on
this
birthday.
It's
an
interesting
summation
of
my
journey
as
an
actress
and
a
woman."
Shabana
is
toying
with
the
idea
of
writing
an
autobiography.
"Many
friends
and
well-wishers
think
I
should.
They
see
something
in
my
life
that
could
be
useful
to
others.
Let's
see."
Her
mantra
for
such
luminous
longevity?
"I
guess
it's
my
refusal
to
conform.
I
don't
see
why
I
have
to
wear
the
colours
that
are
politically
correct.
Who
says
saffron
is
identified
with
one
religion
and
green
with
another?
I'll
wear
both
colours
together.
And
let
me
see
who
can
stop
me."
Story first published: Monday, September 20, 2010, 14:01 [IST]