Shabana Azmi joins Ritesh Batra's next with Saif-Vidya
What's the story
Veteran actor Shabana Azmi will soon be seen in an untitled film by director Ritesh Batra, starring Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan. The film is currently being shot in Mumbai. A source close to the project revealed to Variety India that Azmi will play an "80-year-old eccentric writer with gradually degenerating memory loss."
Character details
Azmi's upcoming role has interesting connection to 'Rocky Aur...'
The source further explained that Azmi's character tends to forget important things in her life and those around her.
Ironically, Azmi had played the late Dharmendra's love interest in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.
Kanwal Randhawa, the character played by Dharmendra, suffered from post-traumatic amnesia, which then degenerated into dementia-like symptoms.
Actor's insights
Azmi drawing on her own experiences to portray this role
In a recent interview, Azmi spoke about her struggles with aging and how she and husband Javed Akhtar often forget names.
She emphasized the need for sensitivity toward the elderly, comparing old age to a second childhood.
She also revealed that she is drawing on her experience of caring for her mother Shaukat Azmi in order to portray this character authentically.
New partnerships
On-screen pairing of Azmi with Khan and Balan
This film marks the first time that Azmi will be sharing screen space with Khan and Balan, both of whom she considers among her "favorite contemporary actors."
The actor has recently been seen in two diverse roles: Batwara 1947 with Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta, and Awarapan 2 starring Emraan Hashmi and Disha Patani.
Meanwhile, some reports have suggested Batra's next will be titled Long Years Ago.