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Shabana Azmi snuck a role meant for Waheeda Rehman from under her nose, Zarina Wahab refused to play second-fiddle to her: ‘I was foolish’
Shyam Benegal was about to cast Waheeda Rehman in a film, but gave the role to Shabana Azmi after just one impromptu meeting.

Actor Zarina Wahab opened up about her relationship with Shabana Azmi, who was her batchmate at the Film and Television Institute of India. She said that Shabana was an outstanding talent even back then, as she recalled the story of how Shabana snuck a role meant for Waheeda Rehman in just one impromptu meeting. Zarina also reflected on her own naivety, and admitted that she turned down the chance to work in a film directed by Shyam Benegal, because she would have to play second-fiddle to Shabana.
In an interview with Lehren Retro, she said, “I would be stunned by her work. I learned a lot from her. Even in the institute, she was outstanding. From the beginning, she was very good.” Asked if she ever felt dejected that she couldn’t hit the heights that Shabana did, Zarina said, “I never felt bad, because I never even expected to get the kind of work I did. I was very happy with the work I was getting. I’m not envious of others. I don’t covet what they have. I used to stay as a paying guest in a one-room apartment. I will happily live in a similar room even today.”
She continued, “I used to do what I was offered. I’ve seen a lot of actresses sneakily steal others’ roles by showing up on sets and offering to work for cheaper. Someone did this to me, and my response was, ‘Let the poor girl have it.'”
Narrating the story of how Shabana Azmi secured a role in a Shyam Benegal film in just one meeting, she said, “When I was in the film institute, we were told that Shyam Benegal was making a film and looking for actors. I was staying with Shabana. His office was in Churchgate, but I didn’t know how to get there. Shabana offered to take me. We took the train, she waited outside while I met Shyam Benegal. Waheeda Rehman was playing the older role in that film, and I was supposed to play the younger sister. When I came out, Shabana said that she’d go in and meet the director. The second she came out, she said, ‘I’m doing Waheeda ji’s role!’
Zarina Wahab said that she declined to do the film as she didn’t want to play a secondary role to Shabana. She said, “I was a fool then, and I thought, ‘Shabana is doing the heroine’s role, so why should I do the small role? I didn’t do it. They called me so many times after that, but I didn’t reply. It went to somebody else.”
Shabana Azmi is often regarded as one of the most acclaimed Indian actors of her generation, with a string of classics under her belt. She is married to the legendary writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar.


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