Shabana Azmi Recalls Children Were "Frightened Yet Keen" To Meet Her After Makdee
NDTV
"I am amazed at how many people walk up to me even today and say they were both terrified and mesmerised," said Shabana Azmi
The Children's Film Society of India, headed by director Sai Paranjype at the time, gave Makdee a scathing review and even asked filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj for its money. Twenty years after the release of what turned out be a cult film, Shabana Azmi recalls her shock at the "insensitivity" of the government body. Azmi, whose role as a witch terrified children and adults alike, said she was confident of the "clear cinematic" sensibilities of the then debutant director. And her confidence paid off.
"The CFSI were scathing in a shocking dismissal of the film. In fact, they asked him to return the money! Such insensitivity coming from another filmmaker left me gobsmacked. I assured Vishal that they would live to regret the day, which is exactly what happened," Shabana Azmi told PTI.
The CFSI, which merged with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in March, was at that time headed by Paranjpye, who directed Azmi in the still remembered "Sparsh". The Society was backing the film. Following the disagreement, however, Bhardwaj took the film out of its hands.
Shabana Azmi recalled how Bhardwaj, who had served as a music composer on her 1999 National Award-winning film Godmother, narrated the idea of the film to her.
