Actor
Shabana
Azmi
talked
about
the
toxicity
around
the
idea
of
masculinity
and
questioned
why
that
idea
does
not
include
progressive
qualities
such
as
tenderness,
empathy
and
being
supportive.
She
argued
for
the
need
for
change
in
gender
roles
to
achieve
gender
equality.
Speaking
to
IANS,
Shabana
said
about
masculinity,
"At
present,
there
is
toxicity
around
the
whole
idea
of
masculinity.
Masculinity
means
flexing
muscles,
wielding
power
over
the
powerless.
That
is
a
toxic
thing.
It
is
true
that
we
want
women
to
change,
and
become
independent.
But
to
establish
gender
equality
we
also
need
men
to
change.
Why
is
masculinity
not
about
tenderness,
empathy,
and
being
supportive?
All
the
qualities
we
look
for
in
the
new
progressive
man,
we
get
to
see
in
the
character
of
Salim
in
Mee
Raqsam."
Mee
Raqsam
is
a
movie
produced
by
Shabana
and
directed
by
her
brother
Baba
Azmi.
The
film
portrays
a
beautiful
story
of
a
father
encouraging
his
young
daughter
to
follow
her
dream
of
being
a
dancer
while
their
immediate
social
circle
is
against
this.
Shabana
has
said
that
the
film
is
a
tribute
to
her
own
father,
late
poet
Kaifi
Azmi.
Talking
about
the
film,
Shabana
had
earlier
said,
"The
film
is
not
based
on
my
life
with
my
father,
but
it
celebrates
the
father-daughter
bond.
It
was
shot
in
Mijwan,
a
village
in
eastern
UP,
where
my
father
was
born.
So
Baba
decided
to
make
this
film
in
his
birthplace
in
the
year
of
his
birth
centenary.
There
cannot
be
a
better
tribute
to
him."
Mee
Raqsam
stars
Danish
Hussain,
Aditi
Subedi
and
Naseeruddin
Shah.