# Shabana Azmi's Bold Stand: Praising Zoya Akhtar for Empowering Katrina Kaif on Screen **Imagine a Bollywood scene where a bikini-clad heroine emerges from the water—not as eye candy, but as a confident professional.** That's exactly what veteran actor **Shabana Azmi** celebrated in filmmaker **Zoya Akhtar**'s handling of **Katrina Kaif**'s role in *Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara*, calling out the industry's obsession with objectification in the process.[1] Shabana Azmi didn't hold back in her recent comments, drawing a sharp line between thoughtful filmmaking and the exploitative tropes that plague Bollywood. She praised Zoya for portraying Katrina as a diving instructor in a way that highlighted her professionalism rather than her body. "Katrina plays a diving instructor in the movie. She comes out of the water, dripping, wearing a bikini. Here, the camera holds her in long-shot. Once she wears her bathrobe, the camera goes for a close-up," Shabana explained. Zoya could have opted for the typical male gaze—panning from legs to face—but instead, she framed Katrina as a "working girl, doing what she had to do." This sensitivity, Shabana emphasized, is what cinema needs more of.[1] In stark contrast, Shabana slammed **item numbers** for turning women into objects detached from the story. These songs, she noted, often stand alone as "a thing by itself," with society cheering them on—even kids reciting lyrics like those from *Choli Ke Peeche* at events.[1] She challenged the common defense: "A lot of women say, 'If men can do such things, why can't we?' Just because men are willing to be objectified, why should you be too?" Her words spark a vital conversation: Is Bollywood evolving, or stuck in a cycle of glorifying the superficial?[1] This praise comes at an interesting time for Zoya Akhtar and Katrina Kaif. Zoya, known for hits like *ZNMD*, has even revisited Katrina's iconic *Sheila Ki Jawani* in a documentary exploring Bollywood's glamour-struck history—ironically highlighting the very item song culture Shabana critiques.[2] Fans continue to buzz about *ZNMD*'s legacy, a feel-good road trip film that gave Katrina one of her most memorable, non-glam roles alongside Hrithik Roshan and Farhan Akhtar.[3] Shabana's take reminds us why representation matters—directors like Zoya are paving the way for stories that empower rather than exploit. What do you think: Has Bollywood improved in portraying women since *ZNMD*?
Katrina Kaif as the diving instructor in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (Unsplash stock image representing the scene).
Citations
1.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/shabana-azmi-praises-zoya-akhtar-for-not-objectifying-katrina-kaif-in-zindagi-na-milegi-dobara-calls-out-item-numbers/articleshow/128979219.cms
2.https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/katrina-kaif-to-reprise-her-role-as-sheila-624669
3.https://www.news18.com/movies/bollywood/farhan-akhtar-on-katrina-kaif-priyanka-chopra-alia-bhatts-jee-le-zaraa-delay-ws-l-9724365.html
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