While recalling how great of a person Shashi Kapoor was, veteran actress Shabana Azmi shared an intriguing and heartfelt incident that took place on the set of the film Fakira. The film, which featured Shabana Azmi alongside the legendary Shashi Kapoor, holds a significant place in her career, given her youthful inexperience at the time and the towering presence of Kapoor.
In a recent conversation with Zoom, Shabana Azmi provided a candid reflection on her experiences working with Shashi Kapoor. She described Kapoor as not just a legendary actor, but also a deeply caring individual, who had his unique ways of expressing affection and concern towards his colleagues. She humorously referred to him as “crazy,” shedding light on one such moment which remains etched in her memory.
The incident occurred during the shoot of the song “Dil Mein Tujhe Bithakar” for the film Fakira. Shabana recalled, “We were shooting for ‘Fakira’ and the song was ‘Dil Mein Tujhe Bithakar’. Now, I went on set before he arrived and Satyanarayan ji was doing the choreography. I saw that the moves were very intimate. I was very young at that time, and I had tears in my eyes and left the set. My heart was thudding because I really didn’t want to do those shots.”
Clearly uncomfortable and distressed, Shabana sought solace in her hairdresser, confiding her reluctance to proceed with the scene. The pressure and anxiety of fulfilling such demands weighed heavily on her young shoulders, leading her to tears. In this moment of vulnerability, she encountered Shashi Kapoor’s tough love.
“So I went in and I told my hairdresser that I couldn’t do those shots and I started crying. Suddenly, there was a heavy knocking on the door. In comes Shashi Kapoor, and he was like, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ So I said, ‘I can’t do those scenes’.
. He said, ‘Why? When you became an actress and you said, “Mummy, mummy, mai bhi actress banungi,” didn’t you realize that you would have to do these kinds of things? Stupid girl,’ and he left,” Shabana narrated.
This stern interaction initially led Azmi to label Kapoor as “mean.” She told her hairdresser, “How mean is he? Look at the way he’s speaking to me.” However, what transpired next revealed a different facet of Kapoor’s demeanor. After a brief interlude, Shabana returned to the set, only to find that Kapoor had had all the dance moves altered to accommodate her comfort.
“And then after half an hour, I went on the set, and he had every move changed. This was the kind of person he was,” Shabana concluded, her voice laced with admiration. This gesture underscored Kapoor’s thoughtfulness and his subtle way of mentoring and protecting his colleagues, especially the younger ones.
On the professional front, Shabana Azmi continues to be a formidable presence in the Indian film industry. Her most recent role was in Karan Johar’s film Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, where she shared the screen with Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Dharmendra, and Jaya Bachchan. Notably, her performance included a much-discussed kissing scene with Dharmendra, which garnered significant praise and highlighted her enduring versatility as an actress.
Reflecting on Fakira itself, the 1976 Bollywood action film presented a complex blend of drama and moral intrigue. Shashi Kapoor played Vijay, alias Fakira, a Robin Hood-esque character who combats crime while maintaining a secret identity. Alongside him, Shabana Azmi portrayed Neeta, navigating a landscape of love, betrayal, and ethical dilemmas, all converging towards a quest for justice.
Working with Shashi Kapoor in Fakira was certainly a pivotal experience for Shabana Azmi. It was a blend of challenge and inspiration, an ode to her growth as an actress and the formative influence of an iconic co-star. This memorable episode not only showcased the dynamic on-set interactions but also highlighted the camaraderie and care that shaped their relationship—both professionally and personally.
