In a chat with Riya Sharma, Shabana Azmi, who plays Rama Bhanot in the movie Neerja, shares that the space for role models in the country is shrinking and this can be a chance for the younger generation to get one. She further explains why it did not seem like work with Sonam Kapoor whom she happily considers her niece
There was a cosmic connection when Sonam Kapoor, who plays Neerja Bhanot — a young flight attendant who saved many lives and sacrificed hers during a hijack, met Rama Bhanot (Neerja’s mother) for the first time. “She told me, ‘Ye toh meri lado hai’. It was lovely and the love and acceptance was wonderful. Her confidence in me was what gave me the confidence to play Neerja Bhanot,” said Kapoor.
As she plays the young flight attendant in the movie, Kapoor shared with us that observation plays a more important role rather than research works. “You have to look at photographs, listen to voice notes, and talk to family and friends. There were certain facts that happened, but how do I imagine what she went throughIJ To understand that and to imagine the situations she went through — all of those could only come if I knew the kind of person she really was. I had to understand who she was and once I did that, I played those facts through that kind of filter. I think you have to emotionally connect yourself to the character and that is the best way to prepare for any role. And when you emotionally understand the person, then you automatically sympathize with them. You have to see the life of the person through the script,” shared the actor.
Kapoor who was dissuaded by her father to become an actor was sent to Shabana Azmi so that she could tell her not to take up this profession. Azmi, instead, told her to follow her heart. In fact, it is because of the veteran actor that Kapoor is doing what she always wanted to do. This is the reason why the bonding between the two seemed quite evident when we spoke to them, as Azmi happily called Kapoor “she’s like my niece.”
Excerpts from the interaction
You were asked to council Sonam not to become an actor but you instead convinced her to become one...
Anil and Sunita have been my very close friends, so we have a relationship of 34 years now. But Anil called me and he wanted me to dissuade Sonam from acting. She was only 17 back then. She wanted to be an actress and Anil wanted her to rather go abroad and study, so I told him I will do exactly as you want me to do. And I did exactly the opposite. I told her, ‘You don’t have to listen to your father, you do what your heart tells you to.’ And his reaction was, ‘You betrayed me, you are my friend.’ I would say, I have a very easy relationship with Sonam and she is like my niece. Because I have seen her growing up, so there is a comfort level that we share. Though we haven’t worked before together but this didn’t seem like work. We also went through very intensive workshops, through which I not only established a relationship with only Sonam, but also two boys who play my sons in the movie and also, Yogendra Tiku who plays my husband. Because for Ram, it was very important that the family should really seem like a family as it is the core of the film.
How did you prepare yourself for the roleIJ
I was fortunate enough to have met Rama Bhanot even before there was any talk of the film. I had been invited by the family to give away the Neerja Bhanot bravery award to Rashmi Anand. When I met her, I was struck by her warmth, her humour, her spiritedness. So when I was offered the role, I thought there was some cosmic connection. But Ram was very clear that the foreground of the movie is the hijack but at the backbone of it, it is about the relationship of a mother and a daughter. The emotional soul of the movie comes from there. We had to be mindful of that. And people who have seen it (the movie) have given that remark. So I am very happy with that. I think it was helpful that I had met her. Because her spirit infused the character within me.
Why did you agree to do NeerjaIJ
Because I felt the story needed to be told. I think it is very important for all of us to have heroes and role models. And today, when we talk about the value of the girl child, and the need of the society to internalise the value of the girl child, I thought this would be a very good story. And she would make a very good role model not only for girls but also boys. Fifty per cent of India is under the age of 25, and the space for role models is shrinking, and this would be one chance of getting that role model. That’s why I said yes.
Was there a sense of responsibility you felt while playing Neerja’s motherIJ
Not only to Rama ji, but also to the whole family. I was very overwhelmed by the fact that they had refused earlier to filmmakers who wanted to make the movie. But there was something that they trusted about Sonam and Ram when they went to meet them. So, it was our responsibility to make them feel happy that they trusted us. Because when you are making a film, not every incident can look exactly the same. If they sit to compare, they might say, ‘aisa nahi hota’. But they have really allowed to make it the way we wanted to because there has been a degree of trust.
How would you describe the familyIJ
They are a typical middle-class family, with all the right core values. They all were very close to their mother. Unfortunately, she passed away but even when this was talked about, they said, ‘We are ok with it but the final call has to be maa’s.’ They held her in much respect, and only when she looked at Sonam, she had said, ‘ye toh meri lado hai’. So, there was an instant connection. Her father (Harish Bhanot) used to always tell her (Neerja) ‘You should be brave, you should do what you need to and never be afraid.’
photo Pankaj Kumar