From the archive record
Mahesh Dattani praises Shabana Azmi as a true star, emphasising that her greatness lies not in imitation but in self-discovery. He believes that aspiring actors can draw inspiration from her journey, but true acting is about exploring one’s own identity rather than trying to replicate someone else’s success. Dattani also connects her work to the evolution of the feminist movement in India. He explains that early portrayals of women in cinema often focused on their struggle for rights, reflecting the social realities of that time. While some may now view those roles as dated or stereotypical, he argues that they were authentic representations of women’s experiences during that era. Referring to films like Angoor and Khandhar, he highlights that Shabana Azmi’s characters were not stereotypes