Shabana Azmi reveals how Vijaya Mehta turned forgotten punchlines into unforgettable moments: ‘She inevitably messed up the punch line’
As the Indian film and theatre fraternity continues to mourn the loss of legendary actor-director Vijaya Mehta, Shabana Azmi has shared a heartfelt remembrance of her mentor and collaborator. Looking back on their association, Azmi celebrated Mehta not only for her immense artistic legacy but also for the warmth, humour and humility that made her an unforgettable presence on and off the set.While praising Mehta’s extraordinary artistic legacy, the veteran actress fondly recalled the filmmaker’s amusing inability to tell jokes.
The forgotten punchline that became her trademark
Speaking about her experience of working with Vijaya Mehta, the ‘Pestonjee’ actor said, “In spite of her towering talent as an actor, she was a poor narrator of jokes. She inevitably messed up the punch line.” She further remembered how Mehta’s son, Deven, would often react with disbelief whenever she lost track of a joke.”Her son Deven would wring his hands in despair, but she would carry on undaunted, till she confessed, ‘Arre, mee main line visrun geli!’ It was her way of making her intimidated actors relax,” Azmi recalled.
A pioneer of modern Indian theatre
Long before making her mark in cinema with Shyam Benegal’s ‘Kalyug’, Vijaya Mehta had already established herself as one of the leading voices of Marathi experimental theatre. During the 1960s, she co-founded the influential theatre group Rangayan alongside Vijay Tendulkar, Shriram Lagoo and Arvind Deshpande, helping redefine contemporary Indian theatre. Her contribution to cinema was equally significant. As an actor, she delivered memorable performances in films like Govind Nihalani’s ‘Party’, while her directorial venture ‘Rao Saheb’ earned widespread critical acclaim.
Shabana Azmi finally got her wish
A longtime admirer of Vijaya Mehta’s work, Shabana Azmi revealed that she repeatedly requested the director to cast her in one of her productions. That wish eventually came true with ‘Pestonjee’, where Azmi played the memorable role of Jeru.”I pestered her to cast me in her plays or films. Finally she succumbed to the pressure and gave me Jeru in ‘Pestonjee’, a role unlike any other that I had done,” Azmi said.
Vijaya Mehta’s celebrated achievements
Vijaya Mehta’s remarkable career was recognised with several prestigious honours. She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1975, acknowledging her immense contribution to Indian theatre.Her acclaimed directorial venture ‘Rao Saheb’ earned her the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1986, while her performance in Govind Nihalani’s ‘Party’ won her the Best Actress honour at the Asia Pacific Film Festival, cementing her legacy as one of India’s finest creative talent Go to Source
