Shabana Azmi is an Indian film, theatre and television actress born in Hyderabad. She is married to Indian poet and screenwriter Javed Akhtar. She graduated with a degree in Psychology from St. Xaviers, Mumbai and went on to learn acting at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. She made her big screen debut with Ankur (1974), and her maiden venture catapulted her to instant fame. The film garnered wide critical appreciation and Azmi won a National Award for Best Actress.