MAMI Masterclass: Shabana Azmi reveals mainstream cinema’s obsession with ‘gandi si kangi’; adds “If I asked Manmohan Desai, 'Iska kya matlab hai?', he would reply, ‘Iska kuch matlab nahin hai. Yeh Satyajit Ray ki picture nahin hai’”

Shabana Azmi had an interesting conversation with Vidya Balan at a masterclass held at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024 on October 19. Shabana Azmi, who completes 50 years as an actor this year, spoke about her fascinating journey. What is remarkable is that Shabana Azmi did work in art films but at the same time, she was a part of mainstream films like Manmohan Desai’s Parvarish (1977), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Prakash Mehra's Jwalamukhi (1980), etc.

Vidya Balan asked her about her experience of working in such films. Shabana Azmi replied, “I used to have a ball. I surrender to the director because there's no point. If I would ask Manmohan Desai, 'Iska kya matlab hai?', he would reply, 'Iska kuch matlab nahin hai. Main bol raha hoon yeh hai iska matlab. Yeh Satyajit Ray ki picture nahin hai'! When a director is so convinced about it, you are just happy to surrender.”

She added, “On the other hand, in arthouse cinema, everything is so realistic. Hindi cinema, meanwhile, used to operate in an alternate reality. It didn't matter that if you were a policeman, your house would look no different from that of a rich businessman. It didn't matter! Chahe aap businessman hai ya policeman, aapke dressing table pe ek Pond's ka powder hoga, ek cold cream hoga aur ek gandi si kangi hogi! I used to go crazy (on seeing these items). They used to use a white, maili si chaadar jo aapko odhni hoti thi.”

She continued, “It was left to art cinema to go into the details.”

While talking about Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), Shabana Azmi revealed, “I really enjoyed working on Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. In the very first scene, I had an open hair. I was given this ridiculously long wig. My hair was on one side and I was wearing a silk saree while making machi kadhi. I asked Karan Johar, ‘Which Bengali woman wears a silk saree and opens her hair and all that?’! He replied, ‘In Karan Johar’s film, she does. Don’t ask any questions. Just go ahead’ (laughs)!”

Also Read: MAMI Masterclass: Shabana Azmi revealed that 21-year-old Farhan Akhtar helped change the ending of Fire: “The new end saved the film”