Meanwhile the Indian film and theater fraternity continues to mourn the loss of the legendary actor-director Vijaya Mehta, Shabana Azmi shared heartfelt memories of his mentor and collaborator. Looking back on their time together, Azmi celebrated Mehta not only for his great artistic legacy but also for the warmth, humor and humility that made him an unforgettable presence on and off the set.While praising Mehta’s extraordinary artistic legacy, the veteran actress fondly recalls the filmmaker’s hilarious inability to tell jokes.
The forgotten punchline that became his trademark
Talking about his experience of working with Vijaya Mehta, the ‘Pestonjee’ actor said, “Despite his immense talent as an actor, he was a bad teller of jokes. He still remembers how Mehta’s son, Deven, always reacted in disbelief whenever he lost a joke.“His son Deven wrings his hands in despair, but he continues undaunted, until he confesses, ‘Arre, mee main line visrun geli!’ It was her way of making her intimidated actors relax,” Azmi recalled.
A pioneer of modern Indian theatre
Before making his mark in cinema with Shyam Benegal’s ‘Kalyug’, Vijaya Mehta had already established himself as one of the leading voices of Marathi experimental theatre. During the 1960s, he co-founded the influential Rangayan theater group with Vijay Tendulkar, Shriram Lagoo and Arvind Deshpande, helping to define contemporary Indian theatre.His contribution to cinema is equally significant. As an actor, he gave memorable performances in films like Govind Nihalani’s ‘Party’, while his directorial venture ‘Rao Saheb’ garnered widespread critical acclaim.
Shabana Azmi finally got her wish
A long-time admirer of Vijaya Mehta’s work, Shabana Azmi revealed that she has repeatedly requested the director to cast her in one of his productions. That dream finally came true in ‘Pestonjee’, where Azmi played the memorable role of Jeru.“I pestered him to cast me in his plays or films. Finally he succumbed to the pressure and Jeru gave me ‘Pestonjee’, a role unlike any other I have done,” said Azmi.
Vijaya Mehta’s famous achievements
Vijaya Mehta’s remarkable career has been recognized with many prestigious awards. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1975, recognizing his immense contribution to Indian theatre.Her acclaimed directorial venture ‘Rao Saheb’ earned her the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1986, while her performance in Govind Nihalani’s ‘Party’ won her the Best Actress honor at the Asia Pacific Film Festival, cementing her legacy as one of India’s finest creative talents.
