Veteran actress Shabana Azmi recently shared a heartwarming throwback picture on social media from the sets of the 1980 film Hum Paanch, directed by Bapu and produced by Boney Kapoor. The black-and-white photo features Azmi with her brother, Baba Azmi, during the early stages of their careers.
In the nostalgic Instagram post, Shabana is seen affectionately placing her hand on Baba Azmi's chin. She revealed that Hum Paanch was one of Baba Azmi's first films as an operative cameraman, while she played the female lead. The actress also shared a touching behind-the-scenes memory, recalling how their mother, Shaukat Kaifi, visited the set and "kept praying fervently that neither of us made a mistake that could require a retake". She ended the caption with "Mothers!".
Hum Paanch holds significance as Boney Kapoor's first major production venture. The film boasts an ensemble cast including Sanjeev Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Naseeruddin Shah, Raj Babbar, Gulshan Grover, and Amrish Puri. A remake of the 1978 Kannada film Paduvaaralli Pandavaru, Hum Paanch featured Sharad Kadwe as the cinematographer, Kamlakar Karkhanis as the editor, and music by Laxmikant–Pyarelal.
Shabana Azmi and Baba Azmi come from a celebrated artistic family. Their parents, Kaifi Azmi, a poet, and Shaukat Kaifi, a theatre actor, were prominent figures in India's cultural landscape. The recent Instagram posts by Azmi offer fans a rare glimpse into her close-knit family and early career moments.
The actress also recently shared a photo with her husband, Javed Akhtar, on Instagram. The image showed Akhtar engrossed in writing while Azmi looked at the camera. She captioned it, "The writer writes oblivious to the scenic beauty but there is peace and serenity in this photo". Shabana and Javed met at Kaifi Azmi's house and married in 1984.
Fans have responded positively to Shabana Azmi's posts, appreciating the glimpse into her personal life and the history of Indian cinema. The throwback picture with her brother Baba Azmi has particularly resonated with many, who admire the bond between the siblings and the nostalgic memories associated with the film Hum Paanch.
