In Arth, director Mahesh Bhatt brought these two talented actresses together. Shabana portrayed the lead role of Pooja, a devoted wife who uncovers her husband’s affair with another woman, and Kavita, played by Smita. In a Filmfare interview, Shabana disclosed that it was Smita who expressed a desire to take on the role of the ‘other woman’ in the film.
In a recent interview, Shabana discussed the changes in the film’s casting, stating, “In Arth, Smita was initially intended to make a special appearance as the maid, a role later portrayed by Rohini Hattangadi. However, she expressed her desire to take on the role of the other woman.” Shabana further elaborated, “This is quite intriguing.
Vijay Tendulkar pointed out that the issue with Arth lies in its focus. The narrative primarily revolves around Pooja, the wife, and the presence of the other woman should have been minimal to advance the story. However, since Smita was involved, a significant amount of footage was allocated to her character, which ultimately influenced the film’s direction.
Smita’s role was a supporting one in the film, which also featured Kulbhushan Kharbanda. Upon its release, Arth garnered positive acclaim and earned Shabana Azmi both a National Award and a Filmfare Award, solidifying its status as one of her most notable performances.
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