Saba Azad is an actress, theatre director and musician. She is part of the electro-funk duo, Madboy/Mink. The actress made her big Bollywood debut in a 2008 indie film, Dil Kabaddi. However, she has been facing a lot of negativity since she went public about her relationship with actor, Hrithik Roshan. Now, the trolls have taken a new turn and started commenting on how the actress doesn’t need to work because she is dating a superstar.
Saba Azad bashes sexist trolls
Saba Azad has never shied away from hitting back at trolls. From slamming them for commenting on her relationship to mockingly suggesting that she doesn’t need to work anymore, as she’s Hrithik Roshan’s girlfriend, Saba has never allowed the comments to pass without a striking reply. However, now in a conversation with News18 Showsha, the actress has commented on the same trolls and the ‘absolute sexism’ their comments carry.
During the interview, Saba Azad stated that the moment a woman links her name with a man, her individual identity is compromised. She added that it’s tragic and deeply rooted in the sexist thinking of people who even claim to be progressive. The actress stated:
“The moment you’re standing next to a man, your identity will get diluted no matter what. It’s tragic, and it’s a deep-seated sexism that most people have, even the most progressive ones. We all need to put food on our table. What do you think is happening here?”
In the same conversation, Saba discussed the criticism and mockery she has faced. She also reflected on the recent revelation by Soni Razdan about being labelled as Mahesh Bhatt’s wife, despite her own stellar career. She added that, despite having done incredible work during her tenure, she is only referred to as the director’s wife, which she finds bizarre. She stated:
“It’s ennui to me because Soni is an absolute legend. Look at her repertoire of films! She has done Mandi, Daddy, and Party. The films that she has done are incredible. She was right in the thick of it when the new wave of Indian cinema was going on. To me, it’s just bizarre that she wouldn’t be recognised as an entity of her own.”
Saba Azad reflects on women-led films in the entertainment industry
Saba further emphasised how this sexism was not just restricted to social media and public perception, but also evident in how producers often feel apprehensive about investing money in stories headlined by female actors, as they quickly fall into the category of niche cinema. She shared how, while things were changing, people were still hesitant when it came to a film about women or their stories. She also touched on the lack of hygiene and facilities on film sets, which is yet another issue stemming from this sexism. She stated:
“It’s no longer a mainstream film. It’s not a mainstream story that you can tell the entire country. The perception is that oh, yeh toh left of centre log dekhenge. The change is happening much too late and much too slowly. And then the other things come… like the lack of proper washrooms for women on a set. It happens all the time.”
What are your thoughts on Saba Azad’s revelations? Let us know.
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