Saiyami Kher recently wrote a heartfelt post about her Ghoomer co-star and aunt Shabana Azmi. Both actors shared screen space in R. Balki’s Ghoomer which has been garnering positive reviews since it opened. Azmi plays grandmother to Saiyami. Kher took to social media and posted a few behind-the-scenes photographs of the two along with a warm note for the senior actor.
Kher captions her post, “She has probably seen me since I was born. But my first memory of Shabana Maushi was seeing her in this pristine white Lucknowi kurta, making chai. Even in something so mundane, she exuded royalty. As I grew up and became acquainted with her work, I started understanding the formidable enigma that the world knows her to be. And I was left awestruck by her body of work.” Kher grew up in a close relation with Azmi and with time discovered her as the actor the world knows her to be.
The post further states, “When I decided to work in films, Dadima (Shaukat Kaifi) would help me with my diction. For the tomboy that I was, nobody believed I could become an actress. However, Dadima vociferously stood up for me. "There's honesty in her", she'd keep telling Shabana Maushi. And being the unconditional support system that Shabana Maushi is, she would obviously broadcast the message.” Kher recalls her growing-up days when she tried to hone her skills and enter into the field of acting.
She remembers, “The night before I shot my first scene with her in Ghoomer, I couldn't sleep. I was working with THE Shabana Azmi. I had this mental image of what she'd be like on set. How her personality could overshadow everyone. It incited so much fear and intimidation. Yet, when she did come on set, I didn't see a trace of Shabana Azmi, the star. I could only see a hungry actor who unquestioningly surrendered to her director. I understood what makes her the force that she is.”
The post talks about how caring Shabana Azmi is and how often enquires after her co-actors. “Filming in Indian summers on a blazing cricket field isn't an easy task. We would all be exhausted. But, when I'd come back to my vanity, all battered and bruised from the season ball, Shabana Maushi would set aside her own fatigue and ask about me. The love and concern that can only come from family.”
Talking about the emotional post–accident scene Kher says, “As we filmed the scene in which I lost my arm, that's all I could think of. Families and what they mean. And then, almost instinctively in the scene, I hugged her and cried. I don't remember what my lines were but the only thing I could bring myself to say was, "Dadima".I can't stop thinking of my grandparents and Dadima. They'd be so happy seeing this. And I know, somewhere in heaven, they're having a watch party. :)”
The post has been receiving a lot of appreciation since being published and friends and colleagues from the industry as well as fans are lauding not only her heartfelt note but also her performance in the movie.