LONDON: Veteran Indian film, theater and television actor Shabana Azmi is a staunch advocate of co-productions between India and Pakistan.

“For a long time now, my husband and I have been saying that we really need more co-productions between India and Pakistan. If you look at cricket, it divides you — it doesn’t put you together! It is art that unites [when] politics divides. Art is an instrument that can bring about social change, and we can do it through cinema.”

As tensions between both countries remain high and engagement low, Ms Azmi spoke to Dawn about the importance of projects that bring together talent from both countries, much like the British Asiam rom-com What’s Love Got To Do With It. Produced by Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and written by British filmmaker Jemima Khan, the production features talent from the UK, India and Pakistan. Ms Azmi and other members of the cast are in the UK to do media engagements and promotions ahead of the film’s UK release on February 24. The cast was seen together earlier in the week at the red carpet for the movie premier at the Odeon Luxe and Leicester Square. The film is scheduled for release in Pakistan on March 3.

“When you have so much talent in Pakistan, particularly in writing, India and Pakistan can come together and make really, really good cinema,” she said.

Ms Azmi was all praise for her co-star, beloved Pakistani actor Sajal Aly who stars in the cross-cultural film. “Sajal Aly is so good in the film. Sajal and I have struck such a deep bond and relationship despite our age difference. Ji karta hai usse pakar ke rakhoon, jaane nahin doo,” Ms Azmi said, as she raised her arms in an imaginary hug.

Veteran Indian actor talks about love and politics amidst promotions for UK release of the film What’s Love Got To Do With It?

The film shows the worlds of documentary-maker and dating app addict Zoe and her childhood friend and neighbour Kaz (Shazad Latif), who hopes to follow his parents’ example and opt for an arran­ged marriage to a Pakistani girl Maymouna (Sajal Aly).

“On the surface, it is a romcom but it has many layers and much more emotion — which is Shekar Kapur’s forte. He infuses a lot of emotion in his films so it’s a film where you have a laugh and enjoy it but also have moist eyes. It’s wholesome.”

Ms Azmi plays Aisha Khan, the family-focused matriarch of the Pakistani family based in the UK. “She thinks her work begins and ends with the happiness of her children. Aisha is a woman on the threshold of modernity and tradition, a warm, generous and good person,” she says.

Ms Azmi describes the relationship of Aisha with another cha­racter Cath, Aisha’s next-door neighbour played by British actor Emma Thompson. “That story has a lot of affection, and it comes from Jemi­ma’s experience when she went [to Pakistan] as a 19-year-old.”

The film, she says, “busts the notion that arranged marriages are archaic and from a barbaric world”. “But it does this with warmth and hum­our… observing two cultures different from each other, but in a non-judgmental way.”

When asked to comment on her experience of “finding lasting love” — one of the main themes of the film — Ms Azmi laughs. “[One finds lasting love] through friendship. My husband Javed says ‘Shabana and I are such good friends that even marriage couldn’t ruin it’.”

“We are people from very similar backgrounds. His father was a member of the communist party, both fathers were from the progressive writers’ movement, both from Uttar Pradesh — in fact, we have such similar backgrounds that many people say we should have an arranged marriage!”

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2023