Guess Whom Prateik Babbar Gets To Drive Around In Delhi?

Smita Patil and  Shabana Azmi were legendary archrivals  until  the former passed  away suddenly in 1986 leaving behind a motherless son and many untold stories.

25 years after Smita’s untimely death, her son Prateik Babbar is all set to team  up with his mom’s most formidable colleague  and rival Shabana Azmi.

 The  film entitled Imaginary Rain is based on a novel written  by masterchef  Vikas Khanna, his first work of fiction from the  forty books he has written so  far. Prateik  plays  a taxi driver who gets to drive his Miss Daisy around in Delhi when she  return from the US  after thirty years.

Shabana, who in her own words, “can’t  cook to save my life”, plays  a masterchef in Manhattan who returns to India  to find her roots  after a  personal tragedy.The  film is inspired by Vikas Khanna’s grandmother.

About teaming  up with Prateik for the  first time Shabana says, “It was destined to be. Smita  and I had our professional differences. But under the fierce rivalry, no  doubt  played up in the media, she and I were twins. Even the bathroom slippers that we wore were identical.”

Shabana gets emotional about working with Smita’s son. “I’ve always felt very protective  towards him.This was bound to happen.We were destined to work together. I am glad  the suitable script has finally shown up. Vikas Khanna is a dear friend and to play a chef is  a dream come true for me. I can only get to be  a good cook on screen.”

 Shabana met Prateik for a  reading of Imaginary Rain. She  says she  got very emotional. “Yes, we had a reading on Thursday. Prateik  is  a spitting image of his mother.The resemblance  is eerie.I was  swept back in time.I am looking  forward to start shooting with Prateik.”