“Karan Johar Knows How To Create  A Friendly Atmosphere”

Shabana  Azmi  has a  new  bestfriend. And it’s all  because of  Karan  Johar .

“Jaya Bachchan  and I  have known one another  for ages. But somehow  we  never got around to being friends.Whenever we would  meet socially, and that was  quite often, we were cordial.But that was  it,” admits Shabana.

Her  equation with Jaya Bachchan changed drastically on the sets  of Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem  Kahani where Shabana  Azmi and Jaya Bachchan play  grandmothers to  Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh, respectively.

“Would  you believe  it, on screen  we are supposed to be fighting constantly. Once  the camera was  switched  off, we gradually became friends, then very close friends,” reveals  Shabana.

Both hugely  lauded actresses, Shabana  confesses she has always been a Jaya Bachchan fan. “I can’t tell  you the  number of times I’ve seen Abhimaan and  Mili. Jaya has been a huge inspiration  in my career. But I never knew  she was  so much  fun. Jaya is the life and  breath on the sets of  Karan’s film.”

Shabana  gives the credit for her  new friendship to Karan Johar. “On his set the atmosphere is so happy and relaxed.  Every actor is in a  good mood always. Karan makes  every actor feel  special. There is  no sense  of competitiveness between  anyone.”

Describing him as super-gregarious Shabana  says, “Karan is a people’s person. He loves meeting new people, finding out about their lives. I am also very inquisitive.I ask so many  questions, just like Karan  does.”

How  does Shabana find Karan Johar as a filmmaker?  “You know, it’s easy to undermine his  abilities  because he is never into promoting his own talent. I am working with him for  the  first time. I find him  to be  a very special director. He  knows exactly what he wants each actor to do. Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani is shaping into a  very special film.”