Waheeda Rehman to honor Shabana Azmi at MAMI 2024
The Mumbai International Film Festival (MAMI) 2024 will be a special one as cinema icon Waheeda Rehman will present the Excellence in Cinema Award to Shabana Azmi. MAMI Festival director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur confirmed the news in an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times. The award ceremony will take place on Friday (October 18), followed by a masterclass with Azmi and actor Vidya Balan on October 19.
Did you know Rehman and Azmi collaborated on these projects?
Interestingly, the two legends have shared the screen multiple times before. They starred in four films together: namely, Aparna Sen's 15 Park Avenue (2005), Jwalamukhi by Prakash Mehra (1980), Gulzar's Namkeen (1982), and the Ram Kelkar directorial, Pyaasi Aankhein (1983).
Dungarpur's statement on Azmi's recognition
Expressing his admiration for Azmi, Dungarpur said in a press note, "It is a privilege for MAMI to honor Shabana Azmi, an iconic actor, with the Excellence in Cinema Award this year." He noted her versatility and extraordinary body of work over 50 years that has enriched Indian cinema. He added that MAMI had also honored her in 1999 when she completed 25 years in the industry.
Azmi's recent accolades and contributions to Indian cinema
Azmi, who recently completed 50 years in the Indian film industry, has also been awarded the IIFA and Filmfare awards for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. Apart from her acting career, she has been a pioneer in mainstream and art Indian cinema. She has worked with renowned filmmakers like Shyam Benegal, Mahesh Bhatt, and Satyajit Ray, among others, and is a founding board member of MAMI.
