When it comes to cinema, the Indian film industry has been ahead of its time since the beginning. An example of the same is the 1980 released film ‘Sparsh.’ The film that narrated the story of two outcasts, today has completed 45 years, and yet the freshness that it is packed in it is unbeatable. Reflecting on the 45 years of ‘Sparsh’ the lead actress of the film, the gorgeous and talented Shabana Azmi in an exclusive conversation with us shared how she fell in love with the story.
“It was Subhashini Ali (former wife of Muzaffar Ali) who brought Sai Paranjapye to my house and I loved the story. It’s beautifully written and Naseer is outstanding in the film. I wore some of the producer Basu Bhattacharya’s former wife Rinki Bhattacharya’s used saris in the film. But I added my personal qualities to them and created the Delhi-looking woman,” shared Shabana Azmi.
During our conversation, she even highlighted that the movie played an important part in her personal life. “In a way, ‘Sparsh’ brought Javed and me together. He loved it and asked Sai to invite all the cast to his home so he could express his appreciation. That’s how our relationship started,” said the legendary star.
Then praising the writer for her exceptional skills, Shabana continued, “Sai Paranjpye has a delightfully observant eye as a writer. Her dialogue is quirky, comic, and colloquial without losing out on depth. ‘Sparsh’ is a beautifully written film about two social outcastes, one a physically challenged man and the other a widow who come together, bound by the most delicate bonds of love.”
In ‘Sparsh’ Shabana Azmi played the character of a widow, but she wasn’t tied down with the stereotypical norms attached to the look of such roles. She wasn’t a widow in white. ‘Widow is a far cry from the standard long-suffering Hindi film widows both in the way she behaves and what she wears. And yet years of tradition and convention get in her way, wear her down. But she remains undefeated,” she mentioned.
Further, if we talk about Naseeruddin Shah’s portrayal of the blind Annirudh, it to date is one of the finest performances of Indian cinema. Echoing the same sentiment, Shabana Azmi shared, “I agree. It was fascinating to watch Naseer transform himself. He was so convincing as a blind man that off-camera I would subconsciously give him my hand when he was walking downstairs! I had predicted he would win the National Award, and he did.”
What made ‘Sparsh’ stand out was the way the cast worked with the visually impaired kids. The actress told us, “It was amazing to work with the visually impaired children, disconcerting at first but then it dawns on you that the handicap is in our heads. They’ve come to terms with their condition and make the most of life.”
“They play cricket in their own ingenious way. They would say ,” Didi, we saw your film” . I would be taken aback. But then I would see them sitting in front of the TV and “hear” the film with all the joie de vivre at their disposal,” she added.
It goes without saying, that the movie had a huge impact on the way we see the world. “‘Sparsh’ was the first film that made a plea for storybooks in braille. Today it’s a reality. I didn’t particularly work on characterization. Just went along instinctively and obeyed Sai’s directions,” quoted Azmi.
