Kaifi Aur Mein: The Sydney Show

By Shashi Narasimhiah 

“Kar Chale Hum Fida Jano-Tan Sathiyon, Ab Tumhare Havaale Vatan Sathiyon”-  Kaifi Azmi

For all their phenomenal achievements, the humility and politeness that the famous Shabana-Javed couple exhibited when I met them was humbling. Shabanaji is rated as one of the best actors in the world and in addition to her illustrious career of over four decades both in art and commercial forms of Indian Cinema, she has also acted in Hollywood movies. She has won several awards and as per her own admission, the dearest of them all being the one she won for Ankoor in 1975 which she stated was a defining moment in her life.

She has been a member of the National Integration Council headed by the Prime Minister of India, a member of National AIDS Commission of India, and was nominated in 1997 as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament. In 1998, the United Nations Population Fund appointed her as its Goodwill Ambassador for India. Similarly, Javed Akhtar Sahab has been a poet and script writer since 1971 – an incredible journey of over 45 years, has won the hearts of the nation and in addition, has also won eleven national and Filmfare awards combined. He has written scripts for many of the major Hindi hits including Sholay, Deewar and the Oscar winning movie Lagaan. Javed Sahab too has served as Rajya Sabha member of Indian Parliament.

It was our privilege and honour to have them among us in Sydney during the early part of March. During their stay in Sydney, they presented a stage performance “Kaifi aur Mein” based on the book penned  by Shabanaji’s mother Shaukatji just before her beloved husband Kaifi Sahab passed away in 2002 to a spellbound Sydney audience on 9 March at Sir John Clancy Auditorium,Kensington. Both Shaukatji and Kaifi sahib were poets and actors of great distinction. The Shabana-Javed combination, by their stage performance, successfully re-lived the initial struggles of Shabanaji’s parents and then their moving around towns, villages, the time of Indian Independence, their association with and allegiance to the Communist Party, Prithvi theatres, Progressive Writers’ Association, Free Speech, Poetry, Cinema, Acting and various other aspects. The book which is also a Memoir goes on to recite a tale about love and commitment, shining light on the progressive middle class Muslim families during that era. And to narrate this incredible journey of struggle and love, who better than the illustrious next generation within their own family who have made India proud!! The music provided by Jasvinderji and the accompaniments was sublime and did full justice to the quality of the presentation.

The settings, the stage and the decoration were simple and uncomplicated reflecting the ways of the famous personalities who adorned it and the program went on without much deliberations or distractions.

In addition to the above, representing Indus Age, I personally had the privilege of meeting the actor-poet couple along with Ghazal singer Jasvinderji and Director Ramesh Talwarji in a press conference at Concord Function centre and had the opportunity to discuss two questions with Shabanaji and Javed Sahab. Both of them were articulate, open and forthcoming in their responses on what Indian and Western cinema can learn from each other. Shabanaji gave us an insight into how on-the-spot improvisations, thinking on one’s feet and last minute adjustments is unique to Indian Cinema as compared to Hollywood.