'It's really creditable to these guys who said, "You can do what you want. We are not going to replace her".'
Shabana Azmi feels that the growing prominence of casting directors in the Hindi film industry has led to a sea of change, allowing more 'fascinating faces' to be cast in authentic roles.
The actor, who completed five decades in cinema last year, was speaking at the trailer launch event of her Netflix thriller drama series Dabba Cartel, co-starring Nimisha Sajayan, Shalini Pandey, Anjali Anand, Gajraj Rao, Sai Tamhankar, Jisshu Sengupta, Lillete Dubey and Bhupendra Singh Jadawat.
Directed by Hitesh Bhatia, the show follows five ordinary women and how their low-key dabba service spirals into an unexpected venture: A high-stakes drug delivery operation.
Asked what changes she had seen in her 50-year career in films, Azmi said, "For me, the advent of the casting director has brought a huge change. Look what the casting director has done! They have freed Hindi cinema from stock characters.
"So we have got the most fascinating faces which are authentic. And what that does to mainstream actors is when you are surrounded by authentic characters, you start sort of pulling up your socks."
Shabana also feels that a more realistic portrayal of characters is a welcome change.
"One of my favourite examples is Rishi Kapoor in Karz. It was such a huge hit," she says.
"But you can see that he's not playing the guitar, he's just drumming it. He's not doing anything with the chords. Today, it is impossible. I don't think any actor could get away and I don't think that any actor would think it is okay.
"The actor would take on the challenge and learn. This in itself is growth of actors all around. Also, the fact that we are now taking many more interesting faces and that the stories don't have to be only about a pretty boy and a pretty girl, that's brought a huge change for men and for women," she adds.
Shabana feels grateful for still being able to do the kind of work she enjoys doing.
"I happened to be at the right place at the right time. The fact that I'm working with younger actors who are bringing in completely different sensibilities from mine is always exciting," she says.
"Most of the young actors come with trepidation that, 'What will happen next?' They realise soon that there's nothing like that and they become so comfortable that I have to remind them, 'I'm your senior, behave yourself'," she quips.
Watch: Shabana's dhamakedaar dialogue from Dabba Cartel
Set in Thane, which adjoins Mumbai, Dabba Cartel marks the first series collaboration between Netflix and Excel Entertainment.
Working on Dabba Cartel was a "ghar ka maamla" for Shabana as the show is co-produced by stepson Farhan Akhtar and created by his wife Shibani Akhtar.
"Dekhiye, ghar ka maamla hai. Bahu ne hukum diya, beta produce kar raha tha. Meri aukaat main naa bolun?? she asked.
At the event, she said she tried to remove South star Jyotika, who also stars in Dabba Cartel from the series but the producers stuck to their guns.
"I have to make a confession. I tried to remove two girls from this (show). One is Jyotika. She doesn't know this but I said this.
"It's really creditable to these guys who said, 'You can do what you want. We are not going to replace her.' And I am grateful that you (pointing to Jyotika) played it. It was my mistake. It would have robbed me of the pleasure of working with you," she says.
Watch: Why Shabana wanted to remove Jyotika
Watch: The reason Jyotika could not say no to this show
Written by Vishnu Menon and Bhavna Kher, Dabba Cartel will premiere on Netflix on February 28.
© 2025