Mumbai, Sep 18 (IANS) Cinematographer Baba Azmi has decided to direct a film and his sister, veteran actress Shabana Azmi, is confident that he will do a good job because she feels he is an “actors’ director”.
Baba’s illustrious brother-in-law Javed Akhtar has written the script of the film, which is about an idealistic young man’s journey to self-realization. The yet-to-be-titled movie will be produced by Farhan Akhtar, Javed’s son.
“I’m thrilled that Baba is taking the plunge. But I’m also unhappy because neither me nor my sister-in-law Tanvi has a part in Baba’s directorial debut. Never mind. Baba just directed me in two ads and it was wonderful,” Shabana, who was seen in hit movie “Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd”, told IANS.
“One ad was for spectacle lenses and another for an energy saver. He’s made me look so beautiful. He’s truly an actors’ director. He’s so calm on the sets,” she added. What really won the proud sister over was the care Baba took on the sets while directing the ads.
“My make-up room had mogra flowers in a cane basket. It also had the six newspapers that I read and the face napkins that I like. I couldn’t help thinking about the time 30 years ago on location for Boney Kapoor’s ‘Hum Paanch’ when our mum was there praying before every shot as Baba was operating the camera for the film and I would be acting in it.”
— By Subhash K. Jha
