Shabana Azmi: The level of acting has scaled a different level today

Shabana Azmi reacts as she listens to a speaker during 'Sada-e-Tehzeeb', a festival of Urdu and Punjabi poetry organised by Phulkari Women of Amritsar and Indian Academy of Fine Arts, in Amritsar on June 30, 2019. (Pic/AFP)

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi feels that casting directors are playing a huge part in today's filmmaking process.

"I feel Indian cinema is going through a phase of change because people are realising that content is king. Filmmakers are giving a lot of attention towards writing," said Azmi, talking about growth of Indian cinema in recent times at an event along with husband Javed Akhtar on Tuesday in Mumbai.

Azmi noted that casting directors, in particular, are now playing a huge part in the filmmaking process.

"I feel happy about the fact that the level of acting has scaled a different level because people are understanding the importance of casting directors. Even if an actor has to deliver only two lines in a film, casting directors are making sure that the actors look believable on-screen. Earlier that never used to happen.

"There were actors who would be typecast in certain roles but now really good actors are being brought in the ecosystem. So, the main actors also get inspiration from them to do their work honestly," she said.

Azmi's husband, poet-lyricist-writer Javed Akhtar was also present at the event. He spoke about the need to look at the good work being done in the industry today.

"I honestly feel every generation makes good and bad films. There are some really good films being made today, such as 'Article 15', 'Super 30', 'Udaan', 'Andhadhun', 'Bareilly Ki Barfi' and 'Gully Boy'. Even the dialogues (in these films) are real. We no longer get to hear typical dialogues of the films of the eighties and the nineties," said Akhtar.

Remembering playback legend Mohammed Rafi, whose 39th death anniversary will be held on 31st July, Akthar said: "We all are admirers of Rafi saab. I was yet to start writing songs when he sang, but I have grown up listening to him in school and college. I feel we haven't appreciated one quality of Rafi saab. He was really the first playback singer of the world. There have been many big singers in the world but you can't pinpoint a singer who used to change his voice according to the actors who was acting out the song on the screen. He was first singer when it comes to that sort of a skill," Akhtar pointed out.

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