Shabana-Vidya’s Mutual Admiration Society

Vidya Balan openly acknowledges her admiration for and loyalty to Shabana Azmi. And now is her turn to repay her  debts of influence. In her new film Begum Jaan Vidya has modeled her character of the brothel Madame on Shabana Azmi in  Shyam Benegal’s Mandi.

Says Shabana warmly, “Yes ,Vidya keeps saying that. Vidya and I have a mutual admiration society. I commend her for brave choice of roles, for her hunger to do unconventional work and for raising the bar. She has a beautiful voice and a distinct personality.”

Shabana can’t wait to see how Vidya has negotiated her Madame’s character. “I’m very keen to watch Begum Jaan. Mandi is considered a landmark film and it’s inevitable that a feisty brothel owner would be compared to Rukmini Bai of Mandi.One can shout from the rooftops that comparisons are odious ,but alas they will be made! I’m certain though thatBegum Jaan will be very different  from Mandi and Vidya will bring to her part a robustness that is entirely her own.”

Shabana’s role in Mandi was a game-changer, as she was the  first major actress India to gain oodles of weight to play a character.

Recalls Shabana, “Actually, I felt I was to young to play Rukmini, the Madame in the brothel.So to compensate  for the lack of years I  put on a lot of weight.”

Shabana recalls visiting various brothels  for her research with her director Shayam Benegal. “We went to this famous red-light area in Mumbai where all the girls seemed to be  imitating film stars specially Rekha , down to her red lipstick and stylish blouses. In another brothel we visited on G V Road with Rukshsana Sultana(actress Amrita Singh’s mother) all the girls were filled with tehzeeb and adaas and nazaakat, it was almost like visiting the world ofPakeezah . In the third brothel we visited a petite sex worker danced to my song Dil meintujhe bithake kar loongi main bandd aankhen pooja karungi teri  from  the film Fakira! It was a startling interpretation  of the beautiful Lata Mangeshkar melody , and one that we never imagined while shooting.”

Shabana is certain Vidya has brought her own personality and grit to her Madame’s role inBegum Jaan. “She is a fearless actor, not at all cowed down by convention and expectations. I am sure her interpretation would very different from what I did in Mandi.”