Recent Filmi Geek reviews of Shabana Azmi movies
In recent months I've added a few more reviews of Shabana Azmi movies to the archives at Filmi Geek.
- Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola (2013) - Vishal Bhardwaj's latest, playing in theaters at the time of this writing. This is an absolute must-see for any Shabana Azmi fan. If you liked her character in Loins of Punjab Presents, the corrupt minister she plays in this movie will delight you. She chews the scenery with obvious relish and is just hilarious to watch. I could watch Shabana Azmi all day in this kind of role.
- Namkeen (1982) - My review of this touching Gulzar movie gave short shrift to Shabana ji; there was just so much to say about other facets of the movie. Shabana ji plays a mute character with a penchant for poetry, and her performance is touching, with funny moments. Late in the movie, however, it turns tragic and disturbing. This is an excellent movie that's worth seeing with or without the draw of Shabana ji.
- Chor sipahee (1977) - There is always a perverse sort of WTFery in Shabana Azmi's earliest masala roles, before her persona as a mature actor was fully formed. As with most masala movies of its era, Shabana Azmi and the other female stars of this movie are underutilized. She does have a few hilarious scenes early in the movie where she outsmarts Vinod Khanna's character. She also gets an excellent qawwali (link embedded in the review).
