Shabana Azmi EXCLUSIVE: I will murder those who teach acting in 15 days

I did not do dancing and singing roles from the beginning

Shabana gives credit for her fifty year long career to many aspects. She says, ‘Even in the beginning of my career, I did not do dance-singing roles. I have played strong character roles and I feel that actors who do character roles have a long career because the makers feel that the actor can play different characters. Apart from this, she also considers the training of Film Institute as important in molding the artist within her. According to Shabana, I want to murder those who say that I will teach you acting in 15 days because acting is something that you learn every day. After spending 50 years in cinema, I am still learning acting.

‘When I went to the institute, I got acquainted with the cinema from all over the world, which was eye-opening, today everything is available on OTT but in the institute, you spend 24 hours immersed in cinema, so even today I want that opportunity for something else. I will not leave. I don’t think if I had not taken this training, I would have been the actor I am today. At the same time, on the question of keeping herself busy for such a long period, she says, it is important for me to keep myself busy and challenge myself. I am not one of those who keep rejoicing over past achievements. Therefore, I keep looking for challenging work.

Social activism limited roles

Five-time National Award winner Shabana is also known for her social activism and social concerns beyond the screen. he/she revealed here that due to his/her strong off-screen image, his/her on-screen roles were limited. She says, ‘My friend and director Aparna Sen had told me that your off-screen personality is becoming so strong that I, as a director, have become reluctant to cast you as a helpless, helpless or innocent woman. , because no one will believe him/her. Strictness has started appearing on your face, whereas the biggest attraction of your face is innocence. Therefore, you are limiting our choices. But at that time I was so deeply involved in social work, I started choosing my roles very thoughtfully. It definitely limited my options, but I couldn’t compromise with that.

If songs are the identity of our films then why the embarrassment?

Shabana also talked about the changes in Hindi films and expressed sadness over the demise of songs from Hindi films. he/she says,
‘I am very sad about the demise of songs from Hindi films, because I believe that we tell our stories through songs. Today, in order to be modern, we are replacing songs with background scores, which no one even pays attention to. I believe that in the process of becoming global, we should not lose our uniqueness and our identity. What is the point if we also start making Iranian cinema, but I think today’s makers feel embarrassed that according to modern times this is nonsense, but why is it nonsense? This is the way we have been telling our stories. Agreed, it doesn’t look realistic but considering the films being made these days, we can’t put all the blame on the songs.

Ending of Fire changed on Farhan’s suggestion

Here Shabana also talked about the popular but controversial film of her time, Fire. he/she told, ‘It is not that I immediately said yes to that film. At that time I was working a lot with slum women, so I had in my mind that if I did that film then it would be used against my work with slum workers, those women would not feel comfortable working with me. , but Zoya (stepdaughter and director Zoya Akhtar), who was about 18 years old then, said if you like the script then what’s the big deal and I felt how different this new generation thinks.

‘Then Javed (husband Javed Akhtar) said a very good thing that if you are ready to tolerate criticism because it will definitely be there, but you feel that you can play this character sensitively and relate to this woman. If so, you should do this knowing that you will have to hear good and bad. Whereas Farhan (stepson Farhan Akhtar), who was even younger, said that I did not like the climax, because earlier in the film my character burns to death. he/she said that it seems that the lady had done something wrong, hence she was punished. This defeats the entire purpose of the film. This was the opinion of a small child which I shared with director Deepa Mehta and I think this change made the film better, so my entire family supported me in doing this film.

Javed has a big hand in shaping me

Shabana Azmi also said that her husband Javed Akhtar had a big role in shaping her personality. he/she said, Javed has a big role in the person I am today. In fact we both have a lot to do with changing personalities on each other. I used to be very impulsive, but Javed has calmed me down a lot. I feel that over the years, Javed has become like me and I have become like him/her. We respect each other and it makes a lot of difference if we have the same perspective on the world. I am lucky that my husband is also my best friend.