Shabana Azmi is a prominent Indian actress and social activist. She is known for her exceptional contributions to the Hindi film industry, with numerous critically acclaimed performances in both mainstream and parallel cinema. Additionally, she has been an outspoken advocate for various social causes and women’s rights. Throughout her illustrious career, Shabana Azmi has received numerous accolades and awards, solidifying her status as one of India’s most respected and influential cultural icons.
The veteran actress recently delivered a remarkable performance in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, which released on July 28. During the promotion campaign, Shabana recalled her time on the sets of the 1977 film Parvarish. She shared how the renowned choreographer Kamal Master publicly humiliated her in front of several junior artists because she was struggling to grasp the dance routine. The incident had such a profound impact on her that, for a brief period, she decided to quit her acting career.
During a podcast interview with writer Adi Pocha, Shabana Azmi shared an incident from her experience on the sets of Parvarish. Being someone who can’t dance, she had asked choreographer Kamal Master for rehearsals. To her surprise, he told her that rehearsals were not necessary and that all she had to do was clap. The actress was relieved; she went to the sets only to find out that it was a well-synchronised dance performance. The experience was quite nerve-wracking for Shabana, as she was paired with Neetu Singh. She said that by the time she figured out where to put her right and left feet, Neetu had already done two rehearsals and was sitting comfortably.
The incident that occurred on the sets demotivated Shabana from pursuing a career in acting. She felt nervous and approached the choreographer, Kamam Master, asking if they could modify the dance routine. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse when he belittled her in front of the junior artists. He asked for the lights to be turned off and instructed Shabana to teach him the dance steps. Feeling humiliated, she ran off the set and went in search of her car. There was no car, and Shabana was left with no choice but to walk barefoot in her ghastly clothes to her house in Juhu, sobbing about the humiliation she faced. This experience left her feeling like she never wanted to work on the film.
Shabana Azmi further revealed that it was the film director, Manmohan Desai, who afterwards apologised and consoled her, along with the producer.
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