“Rina & I” Shabana On Her Long Association With Aparna Sen

Chick flicks  don’t have to be about PYTs. Being 50-plus and sexy, is what Aparna Sen’s new film Sonata is about.And that’s what makes it so special. The film’s trailer in English has three of the most vibrant contemporary actresses Shabana Azmi, Lilette Dubey and Aparna Sen bonding over giggles, wine and yes, some hiccups.

Says Shabana. “Aparna is a dear dear friend and I want to work in all her films! Aparna is my very close friend. I respect her deeply as a humanbeing and I admire her greatly as a director.  When she  made a telefilm Picnic and I was directed by her for the first time I had translated herdialogues to Hindi .I think  she’s an auteur in the true sense.  She writes her  own scripts. She understands lighting, editing, music and acting….everything!  She sees the film so clearly in her mind’s eye that it’s already made in her mind  even before she reaches the sets.”

Recalling her long association with Aparna fondlyShabana says, “I gave her  daughter  Konkona the  nickname Koko.  She played my daughter in Aparna’sPicnic…And  if you remember, she had a chotu  role with me  in  Sati.  I knew all along  she will be an actor, nothing else.  Konkona   is a very  intelligent actor.  She works from truth.  At  the moment all her work springs from honesty. She hasn’t  developed any craft  to play her characters. There were points inAparna’s 15 Park Avenue (where Konkona  played my sister) when she took my breath away because I completely believed she was the character she was playing. I’ve tremendous respect for her because she has  the courage to take  on  roles that are off the beaten track.”

Shabana had a ball shooting for Sonata. “All three of us Rina,Liletteand I bonded very closely. All the characters play off each other .The film was made on a minuscule budget and most of the furniture and knickknacks are from Rina’s house! I enjoyed playing my characterDolon Sen.It’s a great part ….wilful and funny  with quicksilver moods and uninhibited .”

In the trailer we also get to her Shabana do a  soul rendition ofRabindra Geet.

Says the reluctant but confident singer, “I was terrified to sing but Rina insisted and  insisted  and insisted …and Sharoni Sen gave me lessons .I couldn’t have asked for a better tutor.It was a great fun shooting this film. How many times do we get a chance to do a film where three actresses of a certain age get to have a ball?”