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Why is Shabana talking to herself?

Updated on: 14 December,2009 07:00 AM IST  | 
Kasmin Fernandes |

This week, in a theatrical coup of sorts, Shabana Azmi returns to stage after an eon, in a play written by Girish Karnad and directed by Alyque Padamsee. This one's likely to be a sell-out so Advance booking better be high up on your agenda today

Why is Shabana talking to herself?

This week, in a theatrical coup of sorts, Shabana Azmi returns to stage after an eon, in a play written by Girish Karnad and directed by Alyque Padamsee. This one's likely to be a sell-out so Advance booking better be high up on your agenda today


"It takes a certain amount of cunning and vulnerability for an actor to play two facets of the same character," says Shabana Azmi, as she readies for the rehearsals of Broken Images at film school Whistling Woods International in Goregaon. Her powerful presence is tangible in the studio's high energy atmosphere.






Another legend, ad guru and wordsmith Alyque Padamsee, is directing the show produced by Raell Padamsee's Ace Productions. What is even more remarkable is that Alyque had directed Shabana's mother Shaukat years ago. This was at the time he staged Urdu adaptations of English classics. "Shabana is one of the few actresses who is in touch with her emotional centre," he says.

Shabana essays two facets of Manjula Sharma - a not-so-successful Hindi short-story writer. But when she writes a best-seller in English, she suddenly turns into an international success. She is haunted by the question: Has she betrayed her own language and identity in opting for the global audience?

Now, it's her own "image" on screen that decides to play confessor, psychologist and inquisitor. "So, you'll see Shabana speaking to Shabana. There are two Shabanas on stage at the same time. It is the most exciting production I've done in years," says Alyque.

"Technically, the play is a nightmare because I'm reacting to a television screen! The 'image' is shot as a single one-hour shot. So, the timing is crucial. There is no room for mistakes," says Shabana.u00a0u00a0
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On: December 17 at 8 pm at Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point. Tickets are priced from Rs 500 to Rs 1,500. To book, log on to
www.bookmyshow.com or call 39895050 / 66223724 / 22824567

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