An actress of substance

With Morning Raga, Shabana Azmi proves, once again, her credentials as an ageless star, writes Surabhi Khosla.

SHE has a style that is extraordinary, beauty that is classic and intellect that keeps ticking. She is a social activist, politician and versatile actor all rolled into one. Which is why a meeting with Shabana Azmi can affect you in different ways.

Through her multifaceted personality shines a character full of depth, which is reflected in her choice of roles. A simpleton overshadowed by her dominating elder sister in Saaz, a crazed witch in Makdee, an overbearing, opinionated mother in Tehzeeb, a Los Angeles-based convenience store owner in Waterborne and now a Carnatic singer in Morning Raga. Variety sure is Shabana’s spice.

She sems to improve with every film. And this finds ample proof in Mahesh Dattani’s latest film Morning Raga. Says she, "There has to be something significant in the role to interest me. The character has to be strong, intense or even spicy enough to seduce me."

In Morning Raga Azmi plays Swarnlatha, a Carnatic singer who has lost her son in a tragedy. The film is about the painful journey she undertakes while putting together her life together again and going back to singing.

Her level of compassion and empathy towards all her roles comes from her obsession to get into the skin of the character. "It takes a lot of practice for me to become the person I play. In Morning Raga I was possessed with learning the basics of Carnatic music."

Whenever she had the time, she would go to her teacher to learn the nuances of the classical music. "I even bought CDs and listened to them. I drove everyone a little batty by trying to sing at the top of my voice," she laughs.

Morning Raga is not the first movie she’s put her heart into. Before she started shooting for Makdee, Azmi would sleep in a witch’s costume to get the feel of the role. Whether it is Ankur, Arth, Godmother or Fire, it is the same level of commitment.

Says she, "The roles that I take on are all non-conformist and intense. What I like best is to play a working woman, who is forceful enough to make her own choices."

Everyone knows that Shabana can walk her talk. She has gone to extraordinary lengths to explore her mind and her feelings, realise her calling in life and go ahead and do what feels right. Social worker, Member of Parliament and an actor, she has played all her roles with aplomb. Her status as a Rajya Sabha MP hardly means that her innings as an actress are over. In fact her cinema has kept pace with her campaigning for women’s rights. Art circles recognise her as a bold performer, ready to take on alternate roles and perform them with unparalleled grace. The commercial cinema simply loves this multitalented diva who can play the toughest of roles with absolute assurance and finesse.

But who is the real Shabana Azmi in this multitude of personalities? Pat comes the reply, "I am a woman, an Indian, a daughter, a wife and a Muslim." And she adds with a smile, "I can’t separate any of these layers from the other. They are all part of who I truly am."

So the next reasonable milestone for this remarkable woman should be directing. "No," says she. "Not yet. Though I came very close to assisting Aparna Sen in Gulel, but the film never happened. Maybe if the right script comes along I might just do it."

In an industry that seems to be finally moving away from the female stereotype, Shabana, at 54, is a superstar. She doesn’t just grab the audience’s attention; she captivates them and leaves them awestruck. A stack of accolades for her performances is the proof that she is admired for her singular contribution to elevating the status of the heroine in Bollywood and indeed for lending a new respectability to actresses through her powerful roles.

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