Shabana Azmi has not just donated money to the Cine & TV Artistes’ Association for helping the needy artistes during the coronavirus pandemic but, alongwith husband Javed Akhtar, has also provided 4,000-plus meals to the poor living in Bombay’s slums. In Mijwan, the village of Shabana’s dad, Kaifi Azmi, Shabana and Javed have so far distributed 1,05,000 kg. of foodgrains, 6,400 soaps, 900 sanitary pads and over 27,000 face masks. Shabana is also behind Rozgar Dhaba, a rehabilitation centre which educates returning migrants with regard to job opportunities, government schemes, health initiatives and documentation.
Javed and singer-music director Shankar Mahadevan alongwith Sa Re Ga Ma music company have made direct cash transfers of Rs. 2,500 per week per person through the lockdown to 800 vulnerable members of the music industry who are not registered with the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) which itself has been doing a lot for its needy members.