Shabana Azmi shares her thoughts on experimental theatre, middle-of-the road cinema and social activism at the grassroots.
"Tumhari Amrita" has been performed all over the world, including special performance at the United Nations. What makes for its unequivocal success?
The writer Javed Siddiqui. The script is the hero. What continues to astonish and delight us is that in our heads it was an experiment in a new format. But the very first show was such a phenomenal success, we decided to do few experimental shows which were successful too, and then we travelled the world as part of the experiment. Of course emotional appeal is a factor, and it is also part of people's nostalgia.
Repeated performances of the play for almost two decades, with the same actors, director and script and with no props or elaborate sets. How do you retain freshness and spontaneity of performance?
The play works. It has a fabulous script and the three of us, Farooq Shaikh, Feroze and I, retain our passion for the play. At a personal level, the play brings us together, as all of us are extremely busy and rarely get a chance to meet. For me, Amrita is the best character I've played in my 30 odd years. She's my favourite because she's flawed, all heart, totally real and unpredictable. I've internalized the character, dohzak mein bhi I can reel off the dialogues.
You started out by doing women centric films like " Nishant", " Ankur", etc. Recently, the success of "Ishqiya" and "No One Killed Jessica" with women in pivotal roles, have made a mark in viewer imagination.
It is very important that "No One Killed Jessica" is a success. For a long time it was believed that women centric films work, but they were never tried. Success is important because hopefully one will see more women centric films and more will be attempted. Very importantly, the belief system that women centric films work is getting tested and with success. Even within mainstream cinema, they are trying many things, its no longer just about commercial success. Take a film like " Udaan" for instance, it is neither experimental nor commercial, and so well done! All kinds of films must be made to give people choice, no hard positions please. That a film is experimental is okay but that's not enough. But if I do a film that I believe in, it gives the director leverage. When I first did commercial and parallel cinema, people said I will sink between two boats. Films with experimental people do well but the success is minimal and restricted. It is the star that brings the commercial value and it is important to have them to break the mould. I'm not sure "Jessica..." would have been successful if it didn't have established stars like Vidya Balan and Rani. But, having said that, for a film to work it has to be basically good.
Is theatre about bringing personal conviction on a public platform?
It's about personal conviction in theatre and cinema, otherwise a given play/film enacted by different actors, would be the same. For actors it is extremely important to continue to have life as your resource base, to give more to your part and to your character.
Your Hyderabad theatre experience?
Very good! Hyderabad does have a theatre crowd. Hyderabadis understand the language. As performers, it holds a special significance for us. My parents met here and Hyderabad is a strong focal point of my mother's book. I was born in Hyderabad.
How do you manage films, theatre, activism, endorsements?
I'm all for life. In my work as an actor, activist etc., I'm taking forward values of life in different ways. In fact we recently had a fashion show for our NGO and 24 stars walked the ramp. This is unheard of. Ranbir (Kapoor) is our brand ambassador and Hrithik (Roshan) has contributed `10 lakh and participated. Actors are accused of not being caring, but despite being so busy they joined in.
What's the way to go for India?
India has to empower the poor which is 80 percent of our population. Give them education, funds and employment locally and make them self sufficient so they don't migrate to the cities. Development in India is unequal: rich become richer and poor poorer. The question that begs to be asked is whose progress and at whose cost?
What's a good model?
What is lacking is equal opportunity. Our way to make up for years of neglect of the girl child, tribals and all the marginalized groups is to educate, give computer education, and teach a craft/ skill for employment. My NGO initiative gives liberal education to the girl child, is gender just and secular, bridges the digital divide and gives all round development which is scalable, replicable, so it snowballs.
We hear you are planning to write your autobiography?
No, I'm too busy.
"Tumhari Amrita" has been performed all over the world, including special performance at the United Nations. What makes for its unequivocal success?
The writer Javed Siddiqui. The script is the hero. What continues to astonish and delight us is that in our heads it was an experiment in a new format. But the very first show was such a phenomenal success, we decided to do few experimental shows which were successful too, and then we travelled the world as part of the experiment. Of course emotional appeal is a factor, and it is also part of people's nostalgia.
Repeated performances of the play for almost two decades, with the same actors, director and script and with no props or elaborate sets. How do you retain freshness and spontaneity of performance?
The play works. It has a fabulous script and the three of us, Farooq Shaikh, Feroze and I, retain our passion for the play. At a personal level, the play brings us together, as all of us are extremely busy and rarely get a chance to meet. For me, Amrita is the best character I've played in my 30 odd years. She's my favourite because she's flawed, all heart, totally real and unpredictable. I've internalized the character, dohzak mein bhi I can reel off the dialogues.
You started out by doing women centric films like " Nishant", " Ankur", etc. Recently, the success of "Ishqiya" and "No One Killed Jessica" with women in pivotal roles, have made a mark in viewer imagination.
It is very important that "No One Killed Jessica" is a success. For a long time it was believed that women centric films work, but they were never tried. Success is important because hopefully one will see more women centric films and more will be attempted. Very importantly, the belief system that women centric films work is getting tested and with success. Even within mainstream cinema, they are trying many things, its no longer just about commercial success. Take a film like " Udaan" for instance, it is neither experimental nor commercial, and so well done! All kinds of films must be made to give people choice, no hard positions please. That a film is experimental is okay but that's not enough. But if I do a film that I believe in, it gives the director leverage. When I first did commercial and parallel cinema, people said I will sink between two boats. Films with experimental people do well but the success is minimal and restricted. It is the star that brings the commercial value and it is important to have them to break the mould. I'm not sure "Jessica..." would have been successful if it didn't have established stars like Vidya Balan and Rani. But, having said that, for a film to work it has to be basically good.
Is theatre about bringing personal conviction on a public platform?
It's about personal conviction in theatre and cinema, otherwise a given play/film enacted by different actors, would be the same. For actors it is extremely important to continue to have life as your resource base, to give more to your part and to your character.
Your Hyderabad theatre experience?
Very good! Hyderabad does have a theatre crowd. Hyderabadis understand the language. As performers, it holds a special significance for us. My parents met here and Hyderabad is a strong focal point of my mother's book. I was born in Hyderabad.
How do you manage films, theatre, activism, endorsements?
I'm all for life. In my work as an actor, activist etc., I'm taking forward values of life in different ways. In fact we recently had a fashion show for our NGO and 24 stars walked the ramp. This is unheard of. Ranbir (Kapoor) is our brand ambassador and Hrithik (Roshan) has contributed `10 lakh and participated. Actors are accused of not being caring, but despite being so busy they joined in.
What's the way to go for India?
India has to empower the poor which is 80 percent of our population. Give them education, funds and employment locally and make them self sufficient so they don't migrate to the cities. Development in India is unequal: rich become richer and poor poorer. The question that begs to be asked is whose progress and at whose cost?
What's a good model?
What is lacking is equal opportunity. Our way to make up for years of neglect of the girl child, tribals and all the marginalized groups is to educate, give computer education, and teach a craft/ skill for employment. My NGO initiative gives liberal education to the girl child, is gender just and secular, bridges the digital divide and gives all round development which is scalable, replicable, so it snowballs.
We hear you are planning to write your autobiography?
No, I'm too busy.
