Shabana Azmi: Karan gives actors chance to interpret their characters

Shabana Azmi

Usually one to use her stature to make a case for pertinent issues on screen, Shabana Azmi took fans aback when news of her joining Karan Johar's family entertainer, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, hit headlines. Known for her offbeat roles in parallel cinema, Azmi's previous mainstream offering was the 2015 film, Jazbaa. However, the five-time National Award-winning actor, seen as the Bengali matriarch and Alia Bhatt's grandmother Jamini Chatterjee in this film, makes a case for the subjects it addresses.

"It takes on many issues hitherto believed to be anathema to mainstream cinema. This is a new genre in Hindi cinema, because, within the mainstream format it tackles gender politics, cancel culture, and body-shaming - matters that were, until now, relegated to independent cinema," says the actor, adding that her writer-husband, Javed Akhtar also appreciated the subjects that it touches upon. "I have always felt that if we shake the status quo in mainstream cinema, the chances of it bringing about change in society is greater."

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Bhatt and Singh

Putting her faith in director Johar, she says, enabled her to pull off an act that earned praise from fans and critics alike. "He kept telling me to trust him. For me, it was a willing suspension of disbelief, which is the only way I could have done justice to my part. I gave Jamini all I could within the mainstream format but tried to keep her core real. Karan is a director who is happy to give his actors space to interpret the characters," she says, crediting him for choosing artistes like Tota Roy Chowdhury and Churni Ganguly to act in the film, even though "he could have taken anybody from Hindi cinema".

Johar may be among the most influential people in Indian cinema, but, for Azmi, collaborating with him was special for more reasons than one. "I've known Karan since he was a chubby little child. His father Yash Johar has been one of Javed's favourite people. Earlier, we were to do a film together, but it didn't materialise because I was working in an English film. Karan was gracious about it. On this film, I submitted myself to the director, because I believe a film is a director's medium, theatre is the actor's medium, and television is the writer's medium."

Karan Johar

The manner in which Azmi nabbed the Bengali language for the role, she admits, enabled her to truly do justice to the part. "My diction teacher Husne Shabnam worked hard. We had more scenes in Bengali in the original cut, but we played it down. While learning Bengali was not difficult, the ability to blend it with Hindi was."

Her co-star Jaya Bachchan was an actor she has "always been fond of", and she praises Alia Bhatt for being "in top form". As for Ranveer Singh, she says, "He inhabited the world of Rocky completely. He is an intelligent and well-read person, and is also a joy to work with because he is affectionate and appreciative."