Nov 02, 2026 4:00pm IST
Shabana Azmi Joins Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan In Ritesh Batra’s Film (EXCLUSIVE)
Shabana Azmi’s next after “Batwara 1947” is the untitled film starring Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan, directed by Ritesh Batra. It is learnt that the film is being shot in Mumbai.
A source from the film reveals to Variety India, “Shabana Azmi plays an 80-year-old eccentric writer with gradually degenerating memory loss, who tends to forget important things in her life and of those around her.” Ironically, Azmi played the late Dharmendra's love interest in "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani." Kanwal Randhawa, the character portrayed by Dharmendra, had post-traumatic amnesia that likely degenerates to dementia-like symptoms.
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In a recent interview, the actress spoke about ageing struggles and touched upon how her husband Javed Akhtar and she don't remember anyone's names. She also spoke about the importance of sensitivity toward the elderly, likening old age to second childhood. She also shared her experience of caring for her mom Shaukat Azmi. The actress hopes to highlight the struggles of seniors through this character.
Director Ritesh Batra's first film “The Lunchbox” featured Irrfan Khan. Shabana has been quoted saying, "I was the first one to ever work with Iffran (Khan) in "Ek Doctor Ki Maut." They later worked together in Sanjay Gupta's "Jazbaa." While this is the first time Batra is working with Shabana Azmi, he has directed Jim Broadbent and Charlotte Rampling in “The Sense Of An Ending,” Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in “Our Souls At Night” and Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sanya Malhotra in “Photograph.”
For the multiple National Award-winning actress, this is also the first time she will be facing the camera with Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan, who she counts as two of her favourite contemporary actors.
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The actress played two diverse characters most recently: the aforementioned “Batwara 1947” starring Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta in lead roles and “Awarapan 2” starring Emraan Hashmi and Disha Patani.
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