Actress Shabana Azmi calls for more women participation in politics to bring a change in the corridors of Parliament

On Women’s Day, Padma Bhushan awardee, popular actress and social activist Shabana Azmi called for increased participation of women in politics.

“It’s extremely important that we have more women participating in politics not because I think it’s a magic wand that will solve all the problems women have but, because it will allow women to be in the space where policies are formed. The women reservation bill can be a huge help in this regard,” she said.

“Each woman should have the right to formulate opinions concerning her life and assert for her rights in the decision making process; and in politics this can only be achieved through reservation. It’s only sad that political parties have delayed this Bill because they don’t want women to get their due even as the modern society has started recognizing the individual identity of women, her aspiration, abilities and qualities. It is increasingly being accepted that she is a significant unit of the society and is also influencing the course of social as well as economic change in society. Women are negotiating for more space for themselves. There has to be a constant effort in making her views to be considered and accepted in all sectors,” she added.

She however said how pained she is to see India living in several centuries simultaneously. “On one hand, women hold top positions in corporate world banking sector and on the other hand, it's a sad reality that female foeticide is also practiced. The patriarchal mind-set is so deeply entrenched such that both men and women consider a boy is privileged over a girl from the time of his birth just for being a boy!” she said.

The actress who recently played Sonam Kapoor’s mother in the movie Neerja said Bollywood has come far in thinking about the way it portrays actresses, even as there’s still a lot of scope for improvement.

“Heroines in Hindi cinema have come a long way from the Main Chup Rahoongi model of virtue. Working women are more visible and there are myriad roles being offered to women of all age groups. Earlier a heroine's career was over at 30. Today, you have a Sonam Kapoor whose career has just taken wings at 30. The traditional divide between the Madonna/ whore has blurred. The vamp has all but disappeared. All this is reason to celebrate but I continue to be troubled by the item number.”

“Under the guise of celebrating her sensuality which is welcome the item number reduces the woman to becoming an object of the male gaze and commodifies her. Lyrics like “Main Tandoori Murg Hoon Mujhe Gatka Lo Alcohol Ke Saath" is being gyrated to by 6-year olds and leads to the sexualisation of children. In all humility I'd caution our talented female stars to pause and think and then make an informed choice,” she said.

Also, the film makers, she advised, must see the difference in the way their cameras pan over a woman’s body. “It’s what decides whether a scene is celebrating sensuality or meant for titillating,” she said.

“We have much to celebrate. Empowerment of women is no longer a buzz word it is central to the development paradigm. All in all, let's celebrate and pay homage to all those wonderful women who struggled for equality and created the path for us to traverse on,” she concluded.