Shabana Azmi recently reflected on her experiences working with Rajesh Khanna in the 1980s, recalling chaotic shoots, incomplete scripts, and tough filming conditions that highlighted the stark contrast between commercial and parallel cinema.
Spontaneity over structure
During a recent conversation with Chanda Kochhar, Shabana reflected on the unpredictable nature of working in 1980s commercial cinema. While filming Nasihat with Rajesh Khanna, she recalled how scenes were often shot with incomplete scripts. In one instance, they had only the first page of a scene, while the rest was still being written by Kader Khan at another studio. This highlighted the stark difference between the spontaneity of mainstream films and the structure of parallel cinema.
Parallel cinema
The veteran actress also spoke about the disciplined approach of parallel cinema, where tight budgets meant that a complete script was essential before filming began. Having experienced this early on through her work in Shyam Benegal’s films, she noted how this level of preparation stood in stark contrast to commercial projects and helped shape her as an actor.
A challenging trek
In a 2024 interview with Radio Nasha Official, Shabana reflected on the challenging shoot of the song “Chalo, Bulaawa Aaya Hai, Maata Ne Bulaaya Hai” from the film Avtaar. She shared that reaching the temple location involved trekking due to the lack of helicopter services at the time. The journey was physically demanding, with no basic facilities like toilets along the way, making the shoot particularly tough.She went on to describe the harsh conditions they endured during the Avtaar shoot. Despite being a massive star, Rajesh Khanna stood in queues with food containers like everyone else. The team slept on the floors of dharamshalas in freezing temperatures, layering themselves with multiple blankets for warmth — and even then, the cold was intense. There was no room for star treatment; the entire crew, including Khanna, embraced the challenges in a spirit of togetherness.On the work front, Shabana Azmi was last seen in the web series Dabba Cartel and will next appear in the film Lahore 1947.
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