V-Day celebrations a marketing gimmick: Shabana Azmi

"Valentine celebrations are actually a western concept which are actually being used as a marketing gimmick. But even so, nobody has a right to say that it cannot be celebrated. And any kind of tactics that are extra constitutional are something the civil society has to stand up against," she told reporters.

She was speaking on the sidelines of a function where the book 'Kaifi and I - A memoir by Shaukat Kaifi' was released by Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan. 'Kaifi and I' is the English translation of the Urdu memoirs penned by Shabana's mother Shaukat on the actress' father Kaifi Azmi.

Talking about her association with Hyderabad, where she was born, Shabana said she loved the Deccani culture and its food. "I was born at Mallepally in Hyderabad. After that I lived all my life in Mumbai. But I always constantly come back to Hyderabad. For me what is striking about Hyderabad is food, the language, the Deccani dialect.

The fact that it is a culturally rich heritage place. This was the city where my parents met. I have very strong roots in Hyderabad. The first three films I did with Shyam Benegal were all made in Hyderabad. 'Ankur', 'Nishant' and 'Mandi' were made here," she said.