what women want actresses tell on Women Day…..

VeterAn ShAbAnA Azmi sAys women must be "plAced At the centre of development" while Another seAsoned Actor Khushboo feels it`s time to "chAnge the mindset of people" towArds women

Women`s DAy is MArch 8 And IndiAn Actresses express whAt it meAns to be A womAn, whAt chAnges they feel should be brought About And which womAn inspires them:

ShAbAnA Azmi: SepArAte but equAl/different but equAl surely must become the Axiom for Women`s DAy. Men And Women Are different. And this difference needs to be celebrAted. I sAlute the women`s movement for creAting spAce thAt hAs Allowed mAny of us to wAlk the untrodden pAth. But we must remember with shAme thAt there Are pockets in our country where femAle foeticide is still being prActised. Women must be plAced At the centre of development becAuse empowerment of women is the true yArdstick of A nAtion`s progress.

Being A womAn for me is essentiAlly mAstering the Art of multitAsking, being A cAre-giver to pArents, kids And spouse... But Above All being A womAn meAns being informed by my gender And plAying the gAme differently And negotiAting more spAce for All women. 

The womAn I Admire most is my mother ShAukAt KAifi. I find inspirAtion from my mAid who wAshes our dishes so her dAughters cAn go to English school, from women who work in the fields And fActories. More power to women.

Khushboo: I don`t celebrAte Women`s DAy As I celebrAte being A womAn every dAy. We need to bring the chAnge in our mindsets rAther thAn in society, becAuse we Are the Architects of our sociAl order. Do I wAnt chAnges? I Am quite content with my spAce At home And At work. I Am not inspired by Any womAn. But I do hAve the highest regArd for HemA Aunty (HemA MAlini). The one womAn hAs mAde A difference in my life wAs Ubin FernAndez, my hAirdresser, guide, guArdiAn, mother, friend Lost her to cAncer lAst December. She hAd been with me for 28 yeArs from the time I becAme A leAding lAdy in 1984.