Shabana Azmi lauds new filmmakers’ unusual films, portrayal of women

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi appreciates the new breed of filmmakers for touching upon “unusual” subjects in their films and “great” portrayal of women.

In an interesting session Friday at the FICCI Frames 2014 on “The Film That Changed My Life” several celebrities shared their views and Shabana too participated in it.

“One film that changed my life was Mahesh Bhatt’s ‘Arth’. After we completed the film, we showed it to the distributors and the producers. They liked the film but they asked us to change the end. But me and Mahesh insisted that we will not change the end and then the way the film did both commercially and artistically was great,” Shabana told reporters during the press meet at FICCI Frames 2014.

The “Arth” climax sees Shabana’s character leaving her husband, who cheats on her, to make a new beginning, which was something unusual to see in films in 1980s.

“I feel there is a change and especially the new filmmakers are making some unusual films especially with the way men regard women is great.”

Other celebrities, who participated in the session, were Anupam Kher, Madhur Bhandarkar, Ayan Mukerji, Subhash Ghai and Amol Gupte as well as Liz Shackleton, Asia Editor, Screen International.

When asked, Anupam too named Mahesh Bhatt-directed “Saaransh”

“It was Mahesh Bhatt’s ‘Saaransh’ that changed my life. I was 27 that time playing a 65-year-old in the film. But it is ‘Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Maara, in which I played an Alzheimer patient, that was the most difficult role so far.”

Bhandarkar, known for making realistic films like “Page 3”, says it was not his highly acclaimed and award winning movie “Chandni Bar”, but his flop debut film “Trishakti” that changed his life.

“People feel that my debut film is ‘Chandni Bar’, but I must say that my debut film is ‘Trishakti’. As a filmmaker it was very difficult to get a break and when I used to say I want to make a film with a message they used to say give your message through your phone, not through films.

“But it was the failure of ‘Trishakti’ that I am sharing the panel today with these prominent celebrities. So after that dud, I made ‘Chandni Bar’ and this is one film that changed my life.”

Inputs by IANS