I was a drama queen

Having starred in roles as diverse as Ankur, Arth, Godmother and Morning Raaga, Shabana Azmi is now set to romance Boman Irani in Zoya and Farhan Akhtar’s upcoming film, Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd. The lyrics for almost all the songs have been penned by husband Javed Akhtar. “There is no doubt that the film is special to me,” says the actress.
“I had a very normal childhood,” says Azmi. “I have tried to give my children the same kind of upbringing. There has never been a sense of being very well-off or belonging to a very well-known family.
“In fact, Farhan used to spend such a lot of time before the television that I thought he would never become something in life. I have never been able to figure out how or when he underwent his training to be a director and I am amazed with his good work,” she says with a laugh.
“As a child, I was no less. I was known as the drama queen of the house. If ever it happened that my mother would hand a toast to my elder brother before handing one to me, I would say that I would commit suicide,” she reveals.
“I used to run off to the beach at the slightest matter and hide from my family members so that they could not find me. But I was still better than my very naughty brother,” she insists.
There has been much talk about her famed kiss with Boman Irani in the film. “That was very short, innocent kiss. I don’t know why there is so much talk about it.”
Well, considering the film is about her honeymoon a ‘short, innocent kiss’ really does not matter. Especially since Honeymoon Travels is her own ‘family’ film.

Published in Hindustan Times Next on February 22, 2007