As the film and theater community in India continues to mourn the loss of a legendary director. Vijaya Mehta, Shabana Azmi he shared a heartfelt memory of his mentor and assistant. Looking back on their association, Azmi celebrated Mehta not only for his great talent but also for the love, humor and humility that made him memorable during this time.Appreciating Mehta’s incredible talent, the veteran actor fondly recalled the actor’s inability to tell jokes.
A memorable punchline that became his trademark
Talking about his experience of working with Vijaya Mehta, the ‘Pestonjee’ actor said, “Though he had great talent as an actor, he was a poor comedian. He messed up the punches.” He also recalled how Mehta’s son, Deven, used to act in disbelief whenever he dropped a joke.“His son Deven wrings his hands in frustration, but continues undaunted, until he admits, ‘Arre, mee main line visrun geli!’ It was his way of making nervous people relax,” Azmi recalled.
A modern pioneer Indian Theatre
Long before making her mark in cinema with Shyam Benegal’s ‘Kalyug’, Vijaya Mehta had already established herself as one of the leading actors in Marathi comedy. In the 1960s, he co-founded the famous Rangayan theater group with Vijay Tendulkar, Shriram Lagoo and Arvind Deshpande, helping to redefine contemporary Indian theatre.His contribution to video games was also significant. As an actor, he gave memorable performances in films like Govind Nihalani’s ‘Party’, while his directorial venture ‘Rao Saheb’ became a hit.
Shabana Azmi finally got what she wanted
A long-time admirer of Vijaya Mehta’s work, Shabana Azmi revealed that she repeatedly asked the director to make one of her productions. The wish came true with ‘Pestonjee’, where Azmi played the memorable role of Jeru.“I pestered him to cast me in his plays or films. Finally he gave in and gave me Jeru in ‘Pestonjee’, a role unlike any other I have done,” said Azmi.
What Vijaya Mehta did
Vijaya Mehta’s remarkable career has been recognized with several prestigious awards. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1975, in recognition of his great contribution to Indian theatre.Her breakthrough role in ‘Rao Saheb’ won her the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1986, while her performance in Govind Nihalani’s ‘Party’ won her the Best Actress award at the Asia Pacific Film Festival, cementing her legacy as one of India’s leading creative talents.