Karisma Kapoor on Shyam Benegal: It feels like the end of an era -Exclusive
Karisma Kapoor on Shyam Benegal: It feels like the end of an era -Exclusive
Karisma Kapoor was able to chart new horizons and create new career highs thanks to Shyam Benegal’s Zubeidaa, back in 2001. As the senior filmmaker and storyteller passed away today, Karisma felt akin to losing a family member. In conversation with Filmfare, she reveals that Shyam Benegal was like her own grandfather Raj Kapoor. In her words…
Shyam Benegal was like a second grandfather to me. He shares a birthday with my dada ji (Raj Kapoor) on December 14. Like dada ji, Shyam babu was knowledgeable about cinema and so many other things. He was stylish and gave me advise on so many things. I remember when he offered me Zubeidaa (2001) I was at the peak of my stint as a commercial film actor. A lot of top filmmakers advised me against doing it saying if I did an “arty” film, it would end my career. But I was gung-ho. I knew I would have to unlearn so many of the things, literally break myself and start afresh.
I remember during every reading, he would make me Khow Suey. Like my dada ji introduced me to Peshawari food, Shyam ji introduced me to Khow Suey.
He made me take off all the make up on sets and just have stained lips. He told me to forget everything that I had learnt in commercial cinema and start afresh and like an obedient student I did just that. He would say, “Don’t act, feel the lines and say it”. Zubeidaa was one of the first films with sync sound dialogue. So I had to get the accent, intonation… everything right. I felt privileged as Shyam ji had worked with thespian actors like Shabana ji and Smita Patil and then I got this opportunity of a lifetime.
With Shyam ji’s passing away, it truly feels like the end of an era. I feel I’ve lost my dada ji all over again.
