As the Indian film and theater fraternity continues to mourn the loss of the legendary actor-director Vijaya Mehta, Shabana Azmi shared a fond memory of his mentor and collaborator. Looking back on their partnership, Azmi celebrated Mehta not only for her immense artistic legacy, but also for the warmth, humor and humility that made her an unforgettable presence on and off the set.While praising Mehta’s extraordinary artistic legacy, the veteran actress fondly recalled 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 her great talent as an actor, she was a bad joke teller. She inevitably got the line wrong.” He also recalled how Mehta’s son Deven would often react in disbelief whenever he lost track of a joke.“Her son Deven wringed his hands in despair, but she continued undaunted, until she confessed: ‘Arre, mee main line visrun geli!’ It was his way of making his intimidated actors relax,” Azmi recalled.
A pioneer of modernity Indian theatre
Long before she made her mark in cinema with Shyam Benegal’s ‘Kalyug’, Vijaya Mehta had already established herself as one of the leading voices in Marathi experimental theatre. During the 1960s, he co-founded the influential theater group Rangayan along with Vijay Tendulkar, Shriram Lagoo and Arvind Deshpande, helping to redefine contemporary Indian theatre.His contribution to cinema was equally significant. As an actor, he delivered memorable performances in films like Govind Nihalani’s ‘Party’, while his directorial venture ‘Rao Saheb’ garnered critical acclaim.
Shabana Azmi finally got her wish
A long-time admirer of Vijaya Mehta’s work, Shabana Azmi revealed that she repeatedly requested the director to cast her in one of his productions. This wish came true with ‘Pestonjee’ where Azmi played the memorable role of Jeru.“I pestered her to use me in her plays or films. Finally, she succumbed to the pressure and gave me Jeru in ‘Pestonjee’, a role unlike any other she had done,” said Azmi.
The celebrated achievements of Vijaya Mehta
Vijaya Mehta’s remarkable career was recognized with several prestigious honors. 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 award at the Asia Pacific Film Festival, cementing her legacy as one of India’s finest creative talents.