Throwback: When Birthday Girl Shabana Azmi Was All Set To Play Benazir Bhutto

Once upon a time, the formidable Shabana Azmi was to play Benazir Bhutto in a film to be directed by noted British-Pakistani author-playwright and filmmaker Tariq Ali.

Ali who has done a celebrated play The Leopard & The Fox on the arrest and execution of Benazir’s father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had readied the screenplay for his proposed Benazir bio-pic with Shabana in the lead.

Shabana had begun to prepare for the part, studying Benazir’s body language and also getting the required haircut to look completely credible. But then politics intervened. Because of differences between India and Pakistan, the hush-hush project was quietly abandoned.

Shabana was disappointed. In a throwback conversation, she said, “I know I can physically resemble Benazir. Once that’s in place the rest would just follow. My God ! I thought I was the only one who remembered the Benazir project. I’d love to play Benazir in a film. I’ve met her twice.We got along really well. Once Benazir and her mom came to Columbia University to listen to my lecture. Another time in Delhi, Benazir and I were seated table at the same table. I was an MP then and she was keen to know my experiences. I was very moved by her book Daughter Of The East. By a strange coincidence the day after I finished reading her book she had become prime minister.We had many common friends, including Tariq Ali.”

Talking to Zoom, I am definitely wiser, more mellow and far less opinionated than I used to be! I give a long rope to people with differing world views to mine. I take much more time to react and am less impulsive. I think with age comes experience and maturity."

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