Shabana Azmi sad at Hindi films shunning Urdu language

Mumbai: Actress Shabana Azmi feels sad that Hindi films, that once used to protect the Urdu language, are slowly shunning it.

"If you compare today`s songs with the songs of the 1960s and 1970s, then definitely today`s songs are according to the demand. But if you see, Hindi films used to protect the Urdu language as they used it but it is slowly dying and I feel bad for it," the 62-year-old said here Wednesday at the Tahzeeb Gangojaman - A Unique Mushaira. Shabana`s husband and renowned writer Javed Akhtar also read out his poetry here and the actress calls him a "great poet". "I consider Javed Akhtar a great poet, not because he is my husband but because his poems are his own voice and not affected by anyone else," Shabana said. The mushaira was hosted by writer-director Rumi Jaffery and Shashi Ranjan. IANS